Peaky Blinders : The Redemption of Thomas Shelby

The action starts explosively in the trenches of WW1 Flanders, as we see some of the backstory of the Shelby boys before their return to the metalworks of Birmingham. We see first hand their experiences of the trauma of war, and we hear narrator Benjamin Zephaniah tell us they are “dead, but still alive”.

The dancers are simply stunning to watch.  Standouts are Connor Kerrigan as Tommy Shelby who is outstanding, particularly as his dark, troubled character makes his dissent into opium addiction; the stunning Simone Damburg-Würtz as Aunt Polly, who looks every bit as classy and dangerous as the wonderful late Helen McCrory; and Tommy’s wife Grace, Naya Lovell, whose death at the hands of widow Changretta, signals Tommy's world becoming more and more chaotic, as his grief becomes all consuming.  But every member of this cast, and that includes the three onstage musicians, wrings every element out of their characters, and the audience is totally engaged throughout.

The chilling opening chords of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ 'Red Right Hand' sounds out, and the audience is there. In fact, the music is as much a part of this production as the dance. It is a stunning mix of live played music, and pre recorded music, played alongside dialogue from Zephaniah and original lines from the TV show.  It works really well.

Costume Designer Richard Gellar has captured the 1920s perfectly, and lighting Designer Natasha Chivers and set designer Moi Tran also recreate the look of the TV show.

Hats off (sorry!) to the wonderful front of house crew at the New Theatre who were decked out in peaky caps, flapper dresses, and pearls, and had gone to town in dressing the piano bar beautifully!