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WastedOpening Date: Sept 6, 2018
Closing Date: Oct 6, 2018 Air date: April 23, 2020 Medium: online Where to watch: not currently available |
Stage Production Notes
A “rocumentary,” or documentary rock musical about the Brontë family.
Wasted began life in 2016 as a production for BEAM, a new British musical theatre festival. The BEAM Festival, co-produced by Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network, took place in early March 2016 at the Park Theatre in London. The two-day event featured workshops, panels, and 25 minute showcases of six new musicals. The festival received glowing reviews, with The Stage’s Mark Shenton extolling that “the future of the British musical may well have been born in those two days.”
Directed by Adam Lenson, Wasted was presented at BEAM on March 8, 2016 featuring Rebecca Brewer, Sarah Joy Middleton, Oli Hembrough, and Christine Allado.
The first full production of Wasted opened at the intimate Southwark Playhouse on September 6, 2018.
The production received warm reviews. Despite the long length of the musical (initially running for 3 hours), critics noted the vibrancy of the score, director Adam Lenson’s creative use of the small space, and the effectiveness of Matt Daw and Sam Waddington’s lighting design. Critics favorably compared the musical to Spring Awakening, Six, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, praising Christopher Ash's score and edgy rock vibe. Each member of the diverse 4-person cast also received praise for their strong performances.
The Guardian’s Arifa Akbar described Wasted as a “fantastically witty, mischievous and camp musical,” and Alun Hood, writing for Whats On Stage, stated “this grittily exhilarating show is essential viewing if you're interested in the future of the British musical.”
Wasted ran for a month before closing on October 6, 2018.
A “rocumentary,” or documentary rock musical about the Brontë family.
Wasted began life in 2016 as a production for BEAM, a new British musical theatre festival. The BEAM Festival, co-produced by Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network, took place in early March 2016 at the Park Theatre in London. The two-day event featured workshops, panels, and 25 minute showcases of six new musicals. The festival received glowing reviews, with The Stage’s Mark Shenton extolling that “the future of the British musical may well have been born in those two days.”
Directed by Adam Lenson, Wasted was presented at BEAM on March 8, 2016 featuring Rebecca Brewer, Sarah Joy Middleton, Oli Hembrough, and Christine Allado.
The first full production of Wasted opened at the intimate Southwark Playhouse on September 6, 2018.
The production received warm reviews. Despite the long length of the musical (initially running for 3 hours), critics noted the vibrancy of the score, director Adam Lenson’s creative use of the small space, and the effectiveness of Matt Daw and Sam Waddington’s lighting design. Critics favorably compared the musical to Spring Awakening, Six, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, praising Christopher Ash's score and edgy rock vibe. Each member of the diverse 4-person cast also received praise for their strong performances.
The Guardian’s Arifa Akbar described Wasted as a “fantastically witty, mischievous and camp musical,” and Alun Hood, writing for Whats On Stage, stated “this grittily exhilarating show is essential viewing if you're interested in the future of the British musical.”
Wasted ran for a month before closing on October 6, 2018.
Filmed Production Notes
In response to the COVID-19 shutdown, the Southwark Playhouse announced in April 2020 that it would stream archival content for free through a new platform, Southwark Stayhouse. Wasted was the first title to be released.
Wasted was filmed by Bartek Podkowa, Seven Hills Films, with additional videography by Emily Waldron.
On April 24th, the production hosted a Watch Party and encouraged viewers to follow along with #wastedwatchparty. Director Adam Lenson provided real-time reactions and commentary, and designer Libby Todd shared costume and set sketches and ephemera.
Wasted is not currently available to stream.
In response to the COVID-19 shutdown, the Southwark Playhouse announced in April 2020 that it would stream archival content for free through a new platform, Southwark Stayhouse. Wasted was the first title to be released.
Wasted was filmed by Bartek Podkowa, Seven Hills Films, with additional videography by Emily Waldron.
On April 24th, the production hosted a Watch Party and encouraged viewers to follow along with #wastedwatchparty. Director Adam Lenson provided real-time reactions and commentary, and designer Libby Todd shared costume and set sketches and ephemera.
Wasted is not currently available to stream.
Learn more about director Adam Lenson on episode 13 of the Filmed Live Musicals podcast. Available on all leading podcast apps.
Wasted PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: Southwark Playhouse, London
Producer: Oli Sones, Sally Humphreys Productions, Jason Haigh-Ellery
Book and Lyrics: Carl Miller
Music: Christopher Ash
Director: Adam Lenson
Musical Director: Joe Bunker
Movement Director: Natasha Harrison
Scenic and Costume Design: Libby Todd
Lighting Design: Matt Daw, Sam Waddington
Sound Design: Mike Thacker
Videography: Bartek Podkowa, Seven Hills Films, Emily Waldron
Cast:
Siobhan Athwal (Emily), Natasha J. Barnes (Charlotte), Matthew Jacobs Morgan (Branwell), Molly Lynch (Anne)
Band: Joe Bunker (keyboard), Kat Bax (bass), Nathan Gregory (drums), Isabel Torres (guitar)
Theatre: Southwark Playhouse, London
Producer: Oli Sones, Sally Humphreys Productions, Jason Haigh-Ellery
Book and Lyrics: Carl Miller
Music: Christopher Ash
Director: Adam Lenson
Musical Director: Joe Bunker
Movement Director: Natasha Harrison
Scenic and Costume Design: Libby Todd
Lighting Design: Matt Daw, Sam Waddington
Sound Design: Mike Thacker
Videography: Bartek Podkowa, Seven Hills Films, Emily Waldron
Cast:
Siobhan Athwal (Emily), Natasha J. Barnes (Charlotte), Matthew Jacobs Morgan (Branwell), Molly Lynch (Anne)
Band: Joe Bunker (keyboard), Kat Bax (bass), Nathan Gregory (drums), Isabel Torres (guitar)
Sources
Articles
Websites
- Arifa Akbar, “Wasted review – sex, drugs and headbanging … meet the rock'n'roll Brontës,” The Guardian (Sept 13, 2018)
- Stephen Bates, “Wasted – Southwark Playhouse, London” The Reviews Hub (Sept 13, 2018)
- Lani Calvert, “Wasted – Southwark Playhouse,” Musical Theatre Review (Sept 15, 2018)
- Jonathan Evans, “Wasted,” The Spy in the Stalls (Sept 12, 2018)
- Andrew Gans, “London's Southwark Playhouse Launches Free Streaming Service With Rock Musical Wasted,” Playbill (April 23, 2020)
- Alun Hood, “Review: Wasted (Southwark Playhouse)” Whats On Stage (Sept 17, 2018)
- Cindy Marcolina, “BWW Review: WASTED, Southwark Playhouse,” Broadway World (Sept 13, 2018)
- Douglas Mayo, “Southwark Playhouse launches free streaming platform Southwark Stayhouse” BritishTheatre.com (April 23, 2020)
- Fiona Mountford, “Wasted review: Brontë rockumentary gives boundaries of musical theatre a joyous workout,” Evening Standard (Sept 18, 2018)
- Chris Omaweng, “Review: Wasted – a new musical about the Brontës | Southwark Playhouse,” London Theatre 1 (Sept 13, 2018)
- Mark Shenton, “Mark Shenton: Witnessing the birth of a new age of British musical theatre,” The Stage (March 14, 2016)
- Alexa Terry, “REVIEW: Wasted, Southwark Playhouse ✭✭✭” BritishTheatre.com (Sept 15, 2018)
- Jessie Thompson, “Wasted at Southwark Playhouse: How the lives of the Brontës became a rock musical,” Evening Standard (Sept 3, 2018)
- Ann Treneman, “Theatre review: Wasted at the Southwark Playhouse, SE1,” The Times (Sept 14, 2018)
- Amy Tolendano, “Wasted, The Southwark Playhouse,” The Plays The Thing (Sept 15, 2018)
Websites
- Oli Sones Limited, “Wasted,” Accessed via: https://www.olisoneslimited.com/wasted
- Southwark Playhouse, “Wasted,” Accessed via: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/archive-2018/wasted/#tab-3-1
- Southwark Playhouse, “Wasted: Cast & Creative Team,” Accessed via: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/archive-2018/wasted/##cast
- YouTube, “Wasted Musical | Southwark Playhouse Review),” Accessed via: https://youtu.be/-OEJBdZXjAk
Written by Luisa Lyons (April, 2020)