It’s quite rare to watch a show written nearly 70 years ago which has remained as fresh and relevant as West Side Story. Bernstein and Sondheim were true geniuses of the twentieth century, crafting a score and lyrics of such complexity to create emotions of excitement and anguish down the generations. My expectations were high – and they were met.

Gangs, knife crime, anti-social behaviour, clashes due to immigration – the themes running throughout West Side Story have never been more relevant. And the talented cast and crew at Ryde School attacked this energetic production with such strength. Right from the very start the large cast of over 60 students, plus live orchestra hidden behind the considerable set, made their presence felt. There was no love lost between the rival gangs of Jets and Sharks – punching, kicking, threatening each other and making such noise that you can only really find and *feel* in live theatre. Yet the appreciative cheers, woops and applause from the audience could outdo the gangs for sheer volume!

So when we meet Tony – the gentle, idealistic young man looking for a better future – the contrast with the brawling of the gangs is even more distinct.  Tom Thorne’s sweet tenor voice soared over the brass and woodwind during ‘Something’s Coming’, and I got goosebumps (not for the last time). Fast forward to the dance at the gym and the energy levels picked right up again. I really enjoyed the costumes – the stylish red and blacks, blues and whites were reminiscent of the 1961 film, with the added detail of tattoos and trainers. Another shout out to the orchestra, particularly the percussion section across the complexities from their mambo to their cha cha. and talented music scholars Harry Sheppard and Alfie Gubbins. It was a joy to see musical director Miriam Walker on the shared screen, thoroughly absorbed by the music and quite emotional herself during ‘One hand, One heart’.

Strong female performances drive the narrative in West Side Story, and we were treated to the soaring soprano voices of Ava Cowan as Maria and the power and grit of Enid Rees as Anita. She was so fierce! Together on stage they made a formidable pair, particularly during ‘A Boy Like That’, and you really believe that if the women were running the world it would certainly be much more reasonable than the chaos of gang warfare. Certainly Zoe Swann as Doc tried her best to speak truth to the gang members, even if they ignored her honesty.

But it was the ensemble pieces which were a real strength of this production – the sharp wit of ‘America’, the dance movements in ‘I Feel Pretty’ and the sheer chutzpah of ‘Krupke’ really demonstrated the depth of talent in the cast.  In particular Henry Walker and Rafferty Moore’s cheeky boldness as juvenile delinquents, Luca Franklin Amina’s clear voice in ‘Cool’  and the desperate policing of Benjamin Pike’s Lt Shrank and Georgia Holland’s Krupke illustrated the capacity for this cast to meet all the demands that this production throws up.  

The tragic figures of Riff and Bernardo were convincingly played by George Green and Sash James respectively, framed by the emotional power of the company in the ‘Tonight Quintet’. The vocal arrangements in this production were stunning. A particular highlight was the harmonious and atmospheric singing of ‘Somewhere’ by the chorus, although we really needed to hear Tony and Maria sing ‘there’s a place for us’ to truly feel the emotion later in the show.

I take my hat off to Charlie Youlten (director and producer) and his team for pulling off a real tour de force. The memories created and the shared experiences enjoyed by taking part in school performing arts will last a lifetime for these young people. I recognise that we are witnessing a very special generation of young theatre talent on the Isle of Wight right now, so make sure you catch them on the Island whilst you can!

---

Reviewed by Vix Lowthion