Review of The Syndicate at Milton Keynes Theatre

Kay Mellor's The Syndicate has been a huge success on television having reached four series across the last ten years or so. Each following a different group of characters who find themselves the lucky winners of a lottery jackpot, it has managed to snare impressive cast members as well across the series. Due to the success, it isn't a surprise that this play, based purely on series one, has reached the stage. However, does television make good theatre, that is the question.

It seems, as a result of this production, it creates maybe what could best be described as average theatre, as across its short two-hour running time (which includes the interval) there are a few thrills and a good number of laughs, but few moments in the way of ground-breaking theatre. Directed (and starring) Kay Mellor's daughter Gaynor Faye, and a collection of relatively familiar faces from TV, the production is a standard offering. Directed with little flair, and a large number of scene changes, mostly in blackout, bar a couple of occasional entertainingly created ones. It all is just rather safe theatre.

The cast is a mixture of success from the excellent, such as Oliver Anthony as the rough and eager-for-trouble Jamie who hides a past and is ready for more trouble. Anthony makes the best impact in this mixed cast with his stage debut. The reliable William Ilkey brings the likeable Bob to the stage with a nice touch, while Samantha Giles plays Denise purely for laughs and most of the time this is fine, but does irritate at times.

Elsewhere, it is quite a mixture of performances, with Brooke Vincent simply a one-tone, and annoying chavvy Amy with little to like. Benedict Shaw provides, for such an important role as Stuart, little to get thrilled about, while Jerome Ngonadi plays the walk-on role of Newall with very little spark.

Rosa Coduri-Fulford's Leanne is played totally flat which is a huge disappointment for a character that clearly has one of the best backstories lurking, but in the end, as an audience, you end up not really caring. Completing the main cast is Gaynor Faye who plays lottery representative Kay full-on and pretty much for comedy and for what little the character has to do, it's fine, if underwhelming.

Ultimately, this production directed by Faye has an uninventive touch and fails to do enough to warrant a stage show and grasp the power of theatre and its techniques. It is very much just the TV series on stage and if that is what you want, head off to a theatre near you when it passes. However, you might really be best served by staying home and watching the series again and choosing the theatre for something with more grit and style.

Very much television on stage with not enough theatre drama to be found.
⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Tuesday 28th May 2024 at the Milton Keynes Theatre.

The Syndicate runs at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 1st June 2024.

For further details about Milton Keynes see their website at http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/

Production photos: Craig Sugden

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