Review: The Shawshank Redemption at Floral Pavilion Theatre

“…so immersive and personal, it felt like I was the only one there…”

The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King adapted by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns, Floral Pavilion

By Melissa Molloy

What a heartbreaking, heartwarming joy to watch. That might sound like a contradiction but I can assure you if you go to watch this spectacular show, it will take you on an unforgettable journey and once you are dragged along, you will be unable to turn away and neither will you want to. Upon casting a sly eye around the crowd at the end of the play, I saw many a tear being wiped away.

But let’s start at the beginning.

The scene is set inside a prison. I was immediately struck by the effectiveness of how they portrayed such a cold, almost dystopian arena devoid of any of the warmth you’d expect to find in the outside world. This created a tense atmosphere filled with looming shadows and silence. The audience was very quickly introduced to the inmates. Red, played by Ben Onwukwe, was introduced as the ‘man who could get things.’ He was a key player and his role seamlessly switched between character and narrator. His voice, clear, commanding and authoritative, cut across the theatre, leaving no one in any doubt that he had power – in a world where the only thing that mattered was holding onto any element of control. His performance stood out as a cut above, despite all the actors being at the top of their game. I have never seen such a tight performance. The chemistry between the actors was perfect and none of them missed a line, cue or the opportunity to gut punch every audience member with raw emotion.

The score was excellent and in-between set changes there were short bursts of music that fitted the tone of the outgoing or incoming scene. The movement of props was done primarily within these periods of music, where actors would swiftly gather up props and whisk them off the stage, while the incoming set was in full view and in place in seconds, demonstrating exceptional timing and coordination. The transition was flawless. The staging made full use of the performance space, shifting the focus from one side of the stage to the other or expanding to fill the entire width. This clever use of space made it feel as though I was moving through different areas of the prison with the characters. The sound and lighting were 100% on point. There was not a flicker out of place – it was just perfection.

Andy Dufresne, played by Joe McFadden, gave an outstanding performance. I felt every emotion, from his first tentative months in the prison where he didn’t speak, to the pain and torment of being brutally attacked and abused, to becoming overly confident. It hit hard when he was placed in solitary confinement, when he expressed his vulnerability about Red being his only friend and when he persistently maintained his innocence. His selflessness when he ensured all of his ‘coworkers’ were rewarded with a beer in return for his compliance in working for the guards made my stomach tighten and I sat smiling, feeling his quiet pride as his small act of generosity became a powerful symbol of solidarity among the inmates. Despite the full theatre, the performance was so immersive and personal, it felt like I was the only one there.

I absolutely cannot recommend this show enough. The standing ovation, by every single member of the crowd, is testament to the talent and passion of everyone involved. As I left, I could hear the crowd’s enthusiasm, remarking on their favourite scenes, and discussing how it had affected them to the core. I heard several people reeling off the names of friends and family that they were going to encourage to go and watch it. I felt the same, and again, I say… go and watch this play!

The Shawshank Redemption plays at Floral Pavilion Theatre until Saturday 08 November. Tickets are available here.

Melissa Molloy is currently masquerading as a special needs teacher, having previously spent 10 years teaching English, media studies and drama. In her spare time, she offers editorial reviews, beta-reads and guidance to new authors who wish to self-publish their writing. In lieu of sleeping, Melissa often finds herself with her head buried in her laptop – slowly writing her first novel. When she isn’t drowning in work, Melissa can be found paddleboarding and kayaking in local lakes, usually accompanied by at least one or two of her four children.