Review: RED STAR LINE THE MUSICAL, ANOTHER EXCELLENT CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF STUDIO 100 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ at Studio 100 PopUp Theater Puurs

Studio 100, the live entertainment company of Belgium has done it again. After smash hit productions as 40-45 the musical and Daens, they bring a piece of history alive in a way only they can. Spectacular, grand, conceptually strong and most impressive technically.

A great premise for a musical.

The production has double-casted all leading roles.
We attended the evening production with:

Ianthe Tavenier as Marie

Jonas van Geel as Jan

Peter van den Begin as Walter

Free Souffriau as Martha

Charlotte Boudry as Louise

Vera Mann as Rosalie

Goele de Raedt as Zulma

Peter Thyssen as Jef

Frans van der Aa as Jacob

Nordin de Moor as Cyriel

Ludo Hoogmartens as Odillon

Matte Geirnaert as Gust

Tim Saey as Casteels

Martijn Claes as Ronselaar

Wout Sels as Desmet

Pieter Casteleyn as Fons

Lynn Mancell as singer Ziegfeld Follies

Gitty Pregers as singer New York

To say this is a huge production is quite the understatement, it is humongous and still manages to tell an intimate story. A job well done by director and scriptwriter Frank van Laecke. Also, Martin Michel (choreography and staging) together with assistent Tim van der Straaten, bravo. What a challenging job it must have been. All scenes must be staged with 360 degrees visibility in mind, as the audience is placed on 8 separate moving tribunes, which are moving around the actors and scenes in a dance of their own. The technical choreography alone is extraordinary, there must be an exceptional technical crew upping the ante to a whole different theatrical ball game.

Finally, about the story of the musical. We see two locations, the impoverished city of Antwerp circa 1923 and the glamour and riches of New York City.

Jan and Marie are the leading characters, a happy couple, but they want more from life. When business man Walter in New York learns of Jan's invention, the electric dish washer, he invites them to make the journey. As the invitation is solely for Jan, he asks Marie to marry him and join him later in NY.

Jan en Marie keep corresponding through letters, until the mother of Marie, Rosalie, stops the communication through an egotistical plan.

In the meantime the family Steyaert have problems of their own, trying to escape their hopeless circumstances. Fleeing to America seems like the perfect solution, but is it?

What this musical does well is portraying the two different worlds. Antwerp versus NYC. With an ensemble of 43 performers, they create a world of wonder right in front of you.

Standing out in an outstanding cast: Ianthe Tavenier as Marie is a classic performer, a perfect leading lady. Her Marie is intelligent and hopeful, yet vulnerable at the same time. Jonas van Geel as Jan beautifully peels of the layers of his character, making him very relatable.

Nordin de Moor as nerdy Cyriel trying to seduce Marie with his beetle collection... endearing. Free Souffriau as Martha Steyaert is a fighter, a feminist avant la lettre.

Vera Mann plays Marie's mother, a woman who thinks she looks out for her daughter by trying to keep her close and directing her life, but in doing so hurting her deeply. Vera's portrayal of that character is most profound. The duality of the decisions she made on behalf of her daughter captures what this musical is about. What would you do if you think there's no hope for the future? Would you fight? Flee? Stay put?

Besides all the drama on stage, there are also fabulous singers. Gitty Pregers jazzes it up and showgirl Lynn Mancell as singer Ziegfeld Follies makes you feel like time travelling and getting a cocktail in a fancy NY club. I cannot leave unmentioned, the whole look and feel of the characters and stage. Decor, costumes, hair and make up. Together it's an beautiful symphony.

One tiny spec of feedback amidst all the amazingness that is Red Star Line the Musical... It is played in one act of almost 2,5 hours with no intermission, that's pretty long. The tribunes are spectacular but are not the most comfortable, narrow seating with little leg room. An intermission would help tremendously.

The scene where Marie finally boards the Red Star Line, is the perfect end of Act 1 and feels like it is already. All characters have a story line pending and the number sung is a textbook 'Act 1 finale song'. That would work both dramatically as practically.

To conclude, Studio 100 woos the audience again with this timeless story of life, loss, love and hope for a better tomorrow. The similarities with current day events are not to be overlooked. We can only hope that we ourselves would help a person in need, offering for a helping hand and a little humanity. We have still ways to go.

Another case of history repeating.

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