Scissorhandz - A Musical Reinvented

Southwark Playhouse Elephant

Straight from LA to Southwark Playhouse Elephant a brand new, vibrant musical based on the iconic Edward Scissorhands. Ideas pieced together like Scissorhandz themselves!

After a sell-out run in Los Angles, this musical has flown over to play at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, a theatre where shows have flourished. Produced by two big names: Michelle Visage from Ru Paul’s drag race and Nsync’s Lance Bass. A quirky parody musical that has a strong message about sexuality, being true to who you are and society's judegment. It is based on Tim Burton’s 1990 classic film ‘Edward Scissorhands’, with a few adaptations, moments that resemble a concert, talk show and toe tapping modified popular songs from the 1990’s to mid 2000s. The show is without a doubt, fun, authentic and energetic. However, a set of beautiful, important sections from Burton’s story are tossed aside and there are such a huge range of concepts of how the story is displayed it feels like it stops and starts. The story feels rushed, but scenes seem to drag. Loads of ideas put together to form a show, just like how Scissorhandz is lots of parts put together.

Scissorhandz is played by Jordan Kai Burnett, they embody Edward Scissorhandz innocence, how they are in this whole new world and is blind to what is right and wrong. However, moments where they move as this robotic character sometimes are forgotten and they start to seem realistic. Whilst Scissorhandz is learning what it means to be human, they don’t change, more attention to movement in moments is needed. However, it is beautiful in some moments to see them blending into human ways. The relationship between Scissorhandz and Kim, played by Lauren Jones, is problematic, abrupt and forced. There is not a lot of attention to this, or a build-up, Kim starts afraid of Scissorhandz, but then out of no where is ready to leave her boyfriend and she is in love with them. The strongest character was 'The Inventor' played by Dionne Gipson, her character gives a moving performance that presents a tragic story of a woman who longed to be a mother and hid her creation from the world to wrap them in cotton wool. Her acting through song is remarkable and strong. The choice of the inventor being a woman and how they longed to be a mother was a great choice and made her character so compelling. However, the moment she dies loses its power when she starts to die, but then gets up and walks away, it takes the drama away.

Spacing was limited throughout, the stage was small and there were moments the characters would go through the audience. This made scenes longer and the moments of laying on the audience and sitting with them makes it difficult for the audience on the top-level seats to see the whole picture comfortably. Whilst there were some comic moments that came from the interactions with the audience going from a scene about the story, talking to the audience and then songs lacked flow and naturalism. There is an abundance of unique ideas bundled into the show, and they make the piece difficult to engage with, because there is so much going on. The selection of songs did not always make sense and when they started off with 90s songs; it felt like they were using the songs from the time period of when Tim Burton's film was out. Then, the inclusion of the songs from the 2000s made the reason for the choice of songs blurred and confusing at times. This musical would be easier to engage with if they condensed ideas, looking into each idea deeper and giving more space for the show. Southwark Playhouse Elephant is a spacious theatre setting and it feels they limited themselves into a small box.

Costume and props were another strong element of the show, it enhanced it's vibrance and brought the moments from the beautiful film right in front of the audience's eyes. For instance, the use of fans and green paper shavings to present the iconic scene where the main character is using their scissorhands to trim a garden bush into a shape, in this case it was a dinosaur. Scissorhandz costume is very similar to the original Edward Scissorhandz, the leather, chains, dark frizzy hair and iconic scissorhands of course. This also fitted with the theme of the concert that is referred to in moments. Whilst the costume fits the costume setting, the moments they refer to it being a concert setting are not often enough for it to make sense and changes the feel of the show, in a way that makes it hard to follow. Colours are eye catching in the musical, the houses of the neighbours are bright and vibrant colours and highlight their different personalities, their costumes also match! The colours enhance the bold and animated personalities.

This musical puts across a message about society and their judgemental views. Everyone should be true to who they are without judgement, Peg and Kim symbolise the love and acceptance that everyone deserves whoever they are! This musical is fun, and it will have you clapping along, laughing and having a good time. The lack of smooth transitions between scenes, a choice of audience interaction that does not feel relevant to the piece and the limited spacing does make the piece difficult to watch and understand at times. The end where Scissorhandz is told to run away is hard, because you just want them to be accepted and that to be the ending; to enforce the message of being true and happy with who you are and society losing. Whilst it is a fun show, you can sing and laugh along, the message and choices need more clarity, it's message is so important and that should not be lost. This is a show to empower everyone and is a one size fits all!