Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 makes its UK debut at the Donmar Warehouse

I have been following Donmar Warehouse’s new production of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 ever since it was announced, and I have to admit that I had some doubts along the way. Being a huge fan of War and Peace, when the first-look images came out at the beginning of December, I even wrote an article outlining my worries surrounding various choices I disagreed with.  However, having now seen the production of the show myself, I am left feeling that it couldn’t be put on any other way.

With music, lyrics, book, and orchestrations by Dave Malloy, this musical is based on a 70-page section in Leo Tolstoy’s nineteenth-century masterpiece War and Peace. As per the title, it follows Countess Natasha Rostova, newly engaged to Prince Andrei Bolkonsky (who, at this point in the narrative, is away at war), Pierre Bezukhov, a stout, rich Count who we find grappling with a drunken existential crisis, alongside a vast array of other characters who we are each introduced to in the catchy ‘Prologue’ during the opening. What follows is a plot riddled with love, drama, scandal, duels, and high emotions as the “young” and naïve Natasha becomes involved with the “hot” Anatole.

(The show) dresses its characters in a mixture of revealing leather, fishnets, and dazzling corseted gowns

Perhaps the first thing to note before seeing this show is that the audiences should not expect any degree of historical accuracy, but rather a fun, modern production with its ‘electropop-opera’ music style. Previous productions of this show include its premiere on Off-Broadway in 2012 (starring Phillipa Soo and Dave Malloy himself) and a later opening on Broadway in 2016 (with Denée Benton and Josh Groban). Both of these versions took a historical approach, with actors wearing period-appropriate costumes and even having the cast play much of the music themselves onstage, including Josh Groban on the accordion and piano, and Lucas Steele playing the violin. This is not an approach audiences should expect in this production directed by Tim Sheader, which situates itself in a nightclub-like setting and dresses its characters in a mixture of revealing leather, fishnets, and dazzling corseted gowns, some of which only vaguely referencing the play’s context.

Anyone who has been to the Donmar Warehouse knows it is a small space, seating only 251 people who are never more than four rows away from an actor. The space is intimate and immersive, and Great Comet puts the setting to great use. The set is fairly simple, consisting of two layers joined together by a pole (which is interacted with throughout) and the letters ‘MSCOW’ laid out above, with the ‘O’ (overall spelling ‘MOSCOW’) used as a light, and eventually symbolising the titular ‘Great Comet’ itself. This set facilitates memorable moments such as in ‘The Duel’, where Declan Bennett and Daniel Krikler balance on the top layer, bringing an additional gripping tension to the scene. Audiences also find cast members spread around them throughout both the stalls and the circle in songs like ‘Letters’, overall making the small space very effective in audience interaction and set design.

It is clear from the show’s opening song that the entire cast is exquisite

It is clear from the show’s opening song that the entire cast is exquisite, from those depicting individual characters to the outstanding and powerful ensemble. Even though the show ought not to be compared to the novel too often, I found that the cast members in this production brilliantly capture the attitudes of their source characters. We see a mixture of aristocratic attitudes with repressed playfulness (especially so in female characters). Rising theatre star Chumisa Dornford-May (The Phantom of the Opera) stars as Natasha, perfectly depicting her childishness in the challenging song ‘No One Else’ and subtle hinting to her bold independence and defensiveness in ‘The Ball’ and ‘Sonya & Natasha’. Maimuna Memom makes an impressive performance as Sonya, singing ‘Sonya Alone’ so powerfully that it may have been one of the most memorable and emotional moments in the production. Jamie Muscato (Moulin Rouge!), Daniel Krikler (Fiddler on the Roof) and Cedric Neal (Guys and Dolls) steal the show with their extremely animated and energetic portrayals of Anatole, Dolokhov, and Balaga. They are constantly jumping and prancing about upon the stage, using the set and space to its full potential and making for an engaging and memorable experience while remaining deliciously sensual as they do so. Despite only having one song, Neal pours such energy into ‘Balaga’ that he is impossible to forget.

It is a stunning performance and is worthwhile for any theatre-lover’s time

Declan Bennett’s portrayal of Pierre is difficult to describe in comparison to other performances. The independent singer/songwriter is undoubtedly gripping and unique in his acting, especially with such a challenging character laced with drunkenness and existential dread. Unlike other characters’ portrayals, however, I wouldn’t say Bennett’s Pierre feels like the Pierre Bezukhov we see in War and Peace, but rather something separate. Perhaps it is the fact that Pierre’s storyline is perceived separately from the immediate one or that, compared to other characters, he sees the world of aristocratic living for what it is: shallow and generally unpleasant. While this is certainly not a negative, some elements of the production make his character unclear and somewhat unfinished. We hear multiple mentions in lyrics of Pierre’s ‘stoutness’: previous productions aided these lyrics by having various Pierre’s wear a fat suit, however, this is not something reflected visually here, making the lyrics seem strange and unnecessary. He is undoubtedly portrayed as the drunken intellectual and conspirator, but I feel the gentle and compassionate elements, which is so essential to Pierre’s character, were missing from this performance.  His compassion only came through in one moment during his interaction with Natasha at the end of the musical. This is a very minute detail though, and is outweighed by Bennetts’s stunning rendition of songs like ‘Dust and Ashes’, which is emotional, powerful, and extremely energetic, and offers a truly unique interpretation of Pierre’s character.

While the show is currently sold out, limited tickets are released every morning at 10 am for performances 10 days later. If you can get yourself a ticket, it is a stunning performance and is worthwhile for any theatre-lover’s time.