Documenting the tale of one of the most well-known hymns of the Christian faith, It is Well with My Soul is an interesting tale of faith, love and loss with mixed reception and results. Combining historical storytelling with musical theatre may not be anything new, but told through the medium of hymns, this latest tale is “a battle for the soul of our nation”, which is partially won and partially lost by the company of Handiwork Productions.
Act 1 is where the show particularly shines, with an immersive town hall meeting morphing into working songs with period instruments, the humble beginnings of Philip Bliss and the early days of his career, in an exciting and fresh perspective on music and religion. Played masterfully by Adam Stone, Bliss’ seemingly unbridled joy and hope is as infectious as it is entertaining. His characterisation and showmanship with the rest of the cast, particularly during hymns and harmonies does a great job at holding attention, particularly during the more lacklustre second act.
The creative team, cast and crew blend well to tell imaginative stories using their set, props and costumes, most notably during an interaction via mail between Bliss and Oscar Pinkerton’s D.L. Moody, with a boat prop being hilariously transported between the men by Arjan Binnema over a sea of fabric, in an artful display of creativity. Both Pinkerton and Binnema, playing Ira Sankey / Walter Guest, also give standout performances in their respective roles, an ominous duo artfully countering Stone’s positivity with exciting malevolence.
However, as proclaimed in the show’s second act, “it is in the fire that gold is refined” and whilst a good production overall, this show could use a blaze here or there to improve. There are several elements, such as the band trio at the beginning, Bliss’ evident wartime PTSD and the Chicago fire, which to an unfamiliar audience feels very unusual until researched, that go unexplained or underdeveloped, to the point of questioning why they are included at all. Stone’s response to smashing crockery is so expertly choreographed and communicated, yet happens only once throughout the run in a huge missed opportunity, in my opinion.
The production, largely the second act, also struggles with many musical numbers feeling same-y, scenes going on for too long (I loved the use of props in the letters overseas scene, but my gosh did it go on a while!), several audio issues which made some cast, most notably Lucy Bliss, feel distant as if her personal volume had been turned down a touch too much. I also particularly enjoyed the rapidity at which the tone between some scenes shifted, but after a while this started to give me whiplash.
It is Well with My Soul has a bright future ahead of it, as do the majority of this cast, crew and creative team, for bringing such a story to life and allowing even those who are unreligious to access the musical (mostly) without it feeling like a sermon. From the songs to the set, to the BSL interpretation (brownie points from me!) this show should definitely have a future, but key elements are due reimagining and redoing in order to make this production as good as it can be. “You think that singing songs has a part to play in rebuilding hope?” Yes. A significant part, but alongside other things of similar quality, which are still to be desired.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
It is Well with My Soul played at the Library Theatre on August 30th & is touring the U.K. until August 31st
