Review: Twelve Angry Men at The Lowry Theatre, Salford*

[Ad-gifted] The theatre is a great way to explore the arts and is a much more immersive experience than you would get if you went to the cinema – yes, you have surround sound but, having the performers there with you in real life makes you almost part of the act. So, for our latest theatre review, we are back at The Lowry in Salford Quays for their most recent show Twelve Angry Men.

Last night I was accompanied by my husband, who happens to be a huge fan of courtroom dramas and this was the reason I thought he was the best person to bring along to get an expert viewpoint of this style show! Based on the 1957 film of the same the show has been called ‘the classiest, most intelligent drama playing on the West End’ it stars a recognisable cast – you might know some of the men from TV shows like Coronation Street, Soldier Soldier, Casualty, Emmerdale, Family Affairs and more.  Keep reading to find out how we got on and what we thought of this period piece.

What we thought of Twelve Angry Men

Twelve Angry Men when first filmed in 1957 was nominated for three Academy Awards, a couple of BAFTAs (one of which won), and four Golden Globes amongst just some, and back then Henry Fonda (who won a BAFTA for his role) starred as one of the twelve jurors in this epic classy courtroom tale. So, when you consider all this, the play at The Lowry last night had quite a lot to live up to, so no pressure there!

This was such a fabulous show. As you at have read earlier this is a star ensemble cast and they did not disappoint, nor did the production.

Twelve Angry Men is well written story and the way in which no characters have names other than their juror number is quite different. Not knowing the names of the characters – which is often a way that you connect with the cast – might seem awkward, however, Reginald Rose wrote in a way that allowed you to truly get to know each of the men. Each portrayal was so unique and had important moments within various scenes.

Juror 10 played by Gray O’Brien was an angry man and played a conflicted character who appeared to have almost no reason to be so continually cross. He stud out his character persona was so powerful. As did the contrasting character of Jason Merrels – Juror 8 who appeared much more thoughtful and compassionate taking a lot of time to carefully deliberate the accused. Merrels‘ played this role well and had you listening and contemplating the points he raises through the course of the play.

My favourite and the actor that stood out, whom I hadn’t even recognised until my husband pointed out was Micheal Greco (most notably from EastEnders as Beppe Di Marco) he was unreal. His slightly hunched New York Italian character was initially a rash talking, rude and arrogant man. He seemed to poke fun and joke about the situation these men found themselves facing. But as the play progressed his character mellowed and took on board the criticism he’d had thrown his way.

After deliberating over the cast I can now shed light on the set. Which consisted of a large almost skeletal room – where large windows hung from the rafters and the door frames place in the same manner creating a cube for the audience to look into from the front which was open. It had period (1950s) light fittings and other fixtures including a fan, which initially didn’t work and in the second half was turned on, creating a steady, nagging noise that created the atmosphere you might find in the back offices of a courthouse.

The other notable occurrence was when it began to thunder and lightning outside the courthouse – the once open windows representing what appeared to be a hot stuffy day (adding to the tension the men will have felt) were quickly closed and had rainwater appearing to hammer down on them. The effect was compelling. The rest room was another great feature that had running water – allowing the jurors an escape and a way to pry on their quite time away from the others in the room.

This was by no means a simple production and was well executed. With each aspect including the character costumes that were equally as well thought out. All the men were in suits, but each different enough that you were able to distinguish small aspects of their characters from within the styles they each wore.

The play initially appeared to be a way to decide the outcome of the young man accused of killing his father but in the end was an insight into the minds of a potential jury chosen to take on this life changing decision. You see how even the hardest, most educated, arrogant and thoughtful people have to but aside their differences for a common outcome. The social analysis aspect of the play shone through and was allowed to do so through its cast of true professionals. See below for the list of the other amazing members of this ensemble. And like described this is a class act and a must watch production at The Lowry.

Cast

Foreman – Owen Oldroyd
Juror 2 – Paul Lavers
Juror 3 – Tristan Gemmil
Juror 4 – Mark Heenehan
Juror 5 – Samarge Hamilton
Juror 6 – Gary Webster
Juror 7 – Micheal Greco
Juror 8 – Jason Merrels
Juror 9 – Paul Beech
Juror 10 – Gray O’Brien
Juror 11 – Kenneth Jay
Juror 12 – Ben Nealon
Guard – Jeffery Harmer
Understudy – Adam Philip Bloom

How much are the tickets?

Tickets are priced from £28.50 to £42.50.

To book tickets please call The Lowry at 08432086000 or via their website here.  To book accessible performances, please email access@thelowry.com or call 0161 876 2183.

How long is the show for and what are the timings?

The show will be running until Sat, 2 March 2024 with performances at 7.30pm  while the matinee shows will be at 2pm on Tuesday and Saturday. It will have an approximate running time of 2 hours and 20 minutes including an interval.

Where will the performance be held?

The Lowry
Pier 8
The Quays
Salford
M50 3AZ
Manchester
Tel: 0843208 6000

• The Lowry welcomes all visitors regardless of their disability and strives to meet all individuals needs where possible.
• They welcome assistance dogs.
• The Lowry website is fully accessible and features BrowseAloud.  Browsealoud adds speech, reading and translation support, facilitating access and participation for those people who need support reading print, dyslexia, low literacy, mild visual impairments and those with English as a second language. To use this feature, simply click on the grey ear logo located in the footer.
• If you are driving to the show, we would recommend for you to park at The Lowry Outlet which is opposite the theatre, but be aware as there is lack of signage from the car park area to the theatre, so best to ask someone or use google maps to find your way.

  Pre paid car parking tickets can be purchased up to 24 hours prior to your performance. Please note they are unable to sell pre paid tickets on your performance date, and you will need to pay at the ticket machines in the car park. The tickets can be booked at the same time as your seats via their website, or over the phone on freephone 0343 208 6000.

About The Lowry Theatre

The Lowry is a registered charity committed to using visual and performing arts to enrich people’s lives. They present audiences with a diverse programme of theatre, opera, musicals, dance, music, comedy and visual art as well as events and activities to expand the horizons of audiences and artists alike.  At the heart of their work is a commitment to the local communities and young people. Tapping into the work on their stages and in their galleries, they offer thousands of free creative participation opportunities each year. They are passionate about nurturing talent, developing creative professionals of the future and raising aspirations.

You may also want to read this:

Review: Murder in the Dark at The Lowry Theatre in Salford

Review: Unfortunate – The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch

Review: Life of Pi at The Lowry Theatre in Salford

Photo Credit: The Lowry Theatre