‘Weaving in touchstones of the now, and carrying forward for future peoples to remix in their own way’ – Dave Hook, Music writer for Wallace
I went into this show knowing very little about William Wallace. The most I knew about him was from Braveheart (1995) – an awfully inaccurate film I have had the pleasure of never watching – and the song William Wallace Scottish Rebel from the CBBC show Horrible Histories (2009-). I did no research on the figure in the run up to this show – hoping it would describe to me his rise and eventual downfall – all told through some jumpy musical numbers. I thought I was in for a ‘leave your brain at the door’ kind of night: confirming Wallace’s triumph at Stirling Bridge and eventual beheading, providing me the details in between.
This was anything but a flouncy, patriotic musical about William Wallace. At first glance, that is exactly what it is, with a dead stag and Scottish folk music intriguing the audience as they sit curiously in the stalls. Neil Haynes, the set designer, has done wonders with a stage that allows the actors to create natural levels and travel around in a way that doesn’t feel strictly choreographed.
Act one begins with Wallace (Dave Hook), climbing steadily up to his DJ deck. That’s right, DJ deck. I thought it was curious – reading the words ‘hip-hop’ next to William Wallace – as to how this would play out. I had never seen this kind of musical before, where the DJ is on stage, mixing the backing tracks for the other actors, overseeing the entire play. For a story of English-Scottish rivalry, rebellion, and tensions running high; rapping and hip-hop is actually the best way it could’ve been done. For someone who’s not the biggest fan of this genre, I was originally apprehensive. But the electric cast nails every beat, and all the emotions that come along with it.
Act one debates the heroics of William Wallace, highlighting the people he had a hand in killing, and that England were also victims of his actions; it was not just Scotland against Edward I. This is largely led by Ross Mann, who plays the role of a William Wallace enthusiast, simply called ‘Scotsman,’ and Manasa Tagica, playing Edward I, referred to as ‘Sassenach’. Their energy is infectious, debating both sides of the war and the lives lost on both sides. They spread doubt over the saintly story of Wallace, at one point calling him a ‘terrorist’. Mann and Tagica bring the humour to this otherwise emotional play, with jokes largely pertaining to Scottish audiences. With this twist in the story largely dealt with by the men of the cast, the women step forward to beg the question ‘Did Wallace ever actually exist?’
The interval is my favourite part of the theatre. You hear the buzz from the audience as this question lingers, and it’s lost on me. Because of course Willam Wallace existed.
The second half is far shorter, but more punchy and women-led. Madeline Grieve, Kimberly Manidindo and Patricia Panther are experts. They portray the forgotten women in the story fueled by masculinity, and express that if nobody wrote anything about them, leaving them to be forgotten, then so should Wallace. Why should he get to exist in history if they don’t? It is beautifully handled by the three, with the standout for me being Mandindo, whose stage presence and articulation in the songs was truly that of a professional. Extra credit has to be given to Kloe Dean and Steve Lauder-Russell, whose choreography gives the lyrics an extra punch and emphasis and keeps the audience engaged.
Wallace: The Musical was everything I didn’t expect it to be, and more. Growing up near Elderslie and as a staunch believer in Scottish independence, this musical made me reconsider everything I knew about the figurehead, and the ambiguity that comes with any piece of history. It’s an incredibly important piece of work that doesn’t follow one track of history, perfect for fans of Hamilton or In the Heights. It is due for another tour run starting in Edinburgh’s Kings’ Theatre on 30 September, before going on their Scottish tour in 2027, returning to the Tron Theatre next October. I thoroughly look forward to seeing where this musical will go next. It’s an important story to be told to both Scottish and English audiences, and I hope an off-West End run is in this production’s future.
Rating: 4/5 stars
