Culture Writer Folakemi Kola – Daisi reviews Beautiful – A Carole King Musical, and finds the musical performance to effectively condense 13 years of Carole King’s life into an uplifting and engaging story.
Twice inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Carole King is an artist, songwriter and author whose cultural impact is almost unmatched. Alongside her first husband, Gerry Goffin, she penned hundreds of hits for more than 1000 artists in the 1960s, before embarking upon her own music career in 1971. Beautiful – The Carole King Musical tells the story of King’s trials and growth from a shy, self-effacing 16 year-old, to an esteemed, confident young woman, breaking records and performing for thousands at Carnegie hall.
Beautiful primarily follows the professional and romantic struggles of King (Molly-Grace Cutler) and Goffin (Tom Milner), as they leave college to pursue a career as a song-making duo and look after their daughter. With King composing and Goffin writing lyrics, the two pen hits enable them to pursue their dream. The jukebox musical appears effortlessly smooth in its transition between comedic notes and heart-wrenching scenes, managing to do so without causing emotional whiplash. It truly is a musical for fans of music history, and of 60s hits like ‘It Might As Well Rain Until September,’ ‘You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman’ and ‘The Locomotion’.
The jukebox musical appears effortlessly smooth in its transition between comedic notes and heart-wrenching scenes
From the moment ‘So Far Away’ began, Cutler’s warmth and innate likeability made the audience root for Carole. Her outstanding vocals provided raw emotions and, gave the songs – each chosen from King’s catalog to reflect moments of her life – resounding meaning. Tom Milner’s portrayal of Goffin as a troubled, unfaithful husband was enticing and dynamic. The two presented a love that would leave anyone aching. ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’ was a stunning motif throughout the show, used to reflect King’s initial joy at her marriage to Goffin, and then eventually her anguish as he stepped out of the marriage repeatedly. I joined the audience in booing Milner as he entered the penultimate scene of the second act, and felt immensely proud to watch Cutler present King’s Beautiful as the finale. Garry Robson was another gem as Donnie Kirshner, who discovered 16-year-old Carole and signed her as a songwriter.
The show did a great job of portraying the friendly rivalries between the couple and their contemporaries Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. ‘On Broadway’ and ‘You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling’ were placed strongly against the catalogue of King’s hits to make clear appreciation of both sets of artists. Seren Sandham Davis was perky, charming and engaging throughout her performance of Weil’s arc, learning to face her fears regarding tradition and her career. It was almost equally impressive how smoothly she transitioned from commandeering the stage to playing the trumpet during musical numbers.
The show did a great job of portraying the friendly rivalries between the couple and their contemporaries Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil
Meanwhile, an absolute standout for this reviewer was Jos Slovick as Barry Mann. The precision of his comedic timing and sheer charisma gave his character the depth missing from the fictional version of him. Not much was told of his own story, but the perfect chemistry between Slovick and Sandham-Davies meant that I felt just as much connection to their side plot as song-writing partners-turned-lovers.
Alongside all of this was the ensemble, whose live musical performances induced awe. The vocal performances were outstanding: each time a new cast member portrayed a song, I was left wishing there were an entire separate biographical musical for the real-life artists who sang King’s hits, such as The Shirelles, The Drifters and Little Eva. However, the choreography felt somewhat simplistic compared to the elaborate vocal arrangements and set design.
Edd Lindley’s costume design was effective, fun and highly adept at reflecting the growth of characters throughout the show. In addition to this, Ben Cracknell’s complex lighting design made the show vivid and – dare I say it – incredibly beautiful, especially during musical numbers.
The show is uplifting, polished and effectively condenses 13 years of life into two hours of engaging storytelling
For all of its merits and warmth, Beautiful is somewhat one-dimensional in its depiction of King’s family life, dismissing her father as an absent adulterer and ignoring the existence of her brother. Nor is there any mention of James Taylor, who King credits in real life for encouraging her pursuit of a solo career. Nonetheless, the show is uplifting, polished and effectively condenses 13 years of life into two hours of engaging storytelling. I would recommend an evening at Beautiful – A Carole King Musical to everyone.
Rating: 4/5
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