Humanity and humility are powerful attributes that money cannot buy. Mrs.Harris performed by Olivier Award-winning legend Jenna Russell touches the lives of everyone she meets in the musical Flowers For Mrs. Harris written by Rachel Wagstaff. Living on a meagre wage and with rationing still in circulation just after the War every penny has to be accounted for.

Ada Harris and her best friend/neighbour Violet (Annie Wensak) are widows left with nobody else to support them apart from each other. Both ladies work as cleaners and are treated fairly unfavourably by many of their clients.

Covering one of Violet’s jobs for Lady Dant (Kelly Price) she discovers a clothes collection that she has never seen before. Ada falls in love with the new Christian Dior dress that she finds hanging in her room. Totally beguiled by its beauty and precision cut. Ada decides to save up the money and buy a dress for herself, to admire it as and when she wishes to.

Nik Corrall created an intricate stage all the houses interlinked from the grand Belgravia residence to Mrs Harris Battersea’s flat. The impressive house frontage creates intrigue upon entering the Theatre. As its never really clear which character is going to appear from behind the doors. Look beyond them to see the lines of roofs giving the impression of built-up terraced houses.

Richard Taylor’s music, lyrics and orchestrations complement the storyline. Especially numbers like Lady Dant where Violet explains how Ada is likely to find the Lady’s house along with the behaviour of the client as she stands in for her. To the disappointing number The Pools Win which turns out not to be the life-changing experience she first expected. To name two from the twenty-one musical numbers featured in the Musical.

“Ada Harris is going to Paris” Ada declares once she has saved up every last penny she needs for the dress and embarks on a life-changing journey for herself and everybody around her. Flies off to Paris in search of her very own Christian Dior dress.

The story is absorbing and I found myself willing to reach her target and fulfil her ambition. As well as being angry on her behalf at Pamela (Charlotte Kennedy) one of her self-absorbed customers whose only thoughts and concerns are about herself no matter what happens.

Overall this a charming and uplifting Musical. Ada Harris takes all the negative situations thrown at her and makes the best of them. She deserves all the beautiful flowers she receives along with the outpouring of gratitude.

For more information about this Musical and future productions at Riverside Studios please click on the link below.

Four Stars.

Photo credit Pamela Raith

https://riversidestudios.co.uk/

https://riversidestudios.co.uk/see-and-do/flowers-for-mrs-harris-76122/

Cast list

Ada Harris – Jenna Russell

Albert/Marquis de Chassagne – Hal Fowler

Violet/French Char Lady – Annie Wensak

Bob/André – Nathanael Campbell

Pamela/Natasha – Charlotte Kennedy

Major/Monsieur Armand (cover Albert/Marquis de Chassagne) – David McKechnie

Countess/Sybil Sullivan (cover Lady Dant/Madame Colbert) – Pippa Winslow

Lady Dant/Madame Colbert – Kelly Price

Ensemble (cover Bob/André) – Harry Singh

Ensemble (cover Pamela Natasha) – Issy Khogali

Ensemble (cover Major/Monsieur Armand) – Richard Morse

Ensemble (cover Ada Harris, Violet/French Char Lady, Countess/Sybil Sullivan) – Abigail Williams



Director – Bronagh Lagan

Musical Director – Jonathan Gill

Movement Director – Anjali Mehra

New Orchestrations – Jason Carr

Set Designer – Nik Corrall

Costume Designer – Sara Perks

Costume Supervisor – Trish Wilkinson

Assistant Director – Teenie Macleod

Lighting Designer – Adam King

Sound Designer – Charlie Smith

Casting Director – Jane Deitch

Production Manager – Felix Davies

Producer – Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment

Producer & General Manager – Ollie Hancock for Tiny Giant Productions