Ripper – Ed Fringe 2024

Ripper: Dunedin Theatre – Hill Street Theatre

20th August 2024

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Reconnect Theatres brings their new terrifying musical, Ripper to this year’s Fringe. The dark musical looks through the eyes of Jack the Ripper, the officer who pursued him, and one of his victims. This show was premiered at last years Fringe and is now returning as a full-length show after its success.

This is a fantastic piece of theatre. It has drama, grit, tension and also a little humour. The show has a slightly rocky tone with the musical numbers and each song is performed well with great expression and dynamics to draw the audience in. Alex Lyne is superb as ‘John’. He is able to portray the character with such a dark menace and arrogance, but with small gestures and throw away witty comments there is also humour to be found amongst this dark show. It feels very much like his character is bragging, showing off about the thrill of killing and by breaking the fourth wall the audience are drawn in from the start.

This original show, by Pete Sneddon, focuses mostly on the two main characters, making good use of dramatic monologues to find out more about their emotions, lives and even fears for the future. The script works brilliantly and most of the time is delivered at a good pace. It feels slightly reminiscent, at times, of Sweeney Todd and Jeckyll and Hyde

The musical numbers are performed strongly with a clear journey within the songs themselves. An audience favourite surely must be ‘We’re All F*cked’ in which Alex Lyne and Stephen Kerr are excellent. Stephen Kerr plays Detective Frederick Abberline superbly, really showing how the atrocities have affected him and there is a fantastic twist at the end of the show. Belle Quinlan, who plays the Ripper’s last victim Mary Jane Kelly, adds the romantic element and it is during the scenes with her, that the audience find out more about the detective’s family history.

Jack the Ripper has been a subject of curiosity for generations and has had many shows created about the man who we still do not know the identify of. This production is not for the faint hearted – it is gritty and dark, but brought to life with this talented cast. Definitely one to catch during the last few days of the Fringe.

For more information and tickets click here.

AD – PR invite in exchange for a honest review.