EDINBURGH FRINGE 2017: Stop ★★★★

Stop

C Venues

Monday 28th August 2017

Justin, Chloe, Lewis and Martha are all random citizens of London and just waiting to catch a bus, but one that never seems to come. Though one thing seems to connects them all; Mental Illness. From a production developed by students from Oxford in association with the mental health charity SANE, Stop is a brand new musical which pulls at the heartstrings and delves into what life is like living with a mental illness.

Though this particular performance had a wobbly start and continued throughout with technical issues, some which I think were intentional, I can’t say enough just how utterly heartbreaking and beautiful this production was from everyone involved; the four main actors, Jack Trzcinski (Justin), Gemma Lowcock (Chloe), Eoghan McNelis (Lewis), and Annabel Mutale (Martha/Bookwriter/Co-Director/Lyricist) all put in outstanding performances that really make you believe so wholeheartedly in their characters and want to know further about their lives before and after the action on stage has taken place.

Gemma Lowcock especially puts in a harrowing performance as Chloe, a character who seems so sweet and innocent with a sad background hidden underneath. To tackle such a strong subject matter is not one that is easy to pull off, but it’s clear to see that with Stop, so much time and effort has gone into making it a musical that will live on in so many people’s minds, and one that I hope has a big future on the horizon.

Overall. Stop the Musical for me was my highlight of the fringe; powerful, harrowing talent and incredible performances by all, it is a piece of musical genius that will long thrive in my mind for a long time to come, and a perfect way to end my time at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017.