Kiss of The Spider Woman ★★★★★

Cabaret and Chicago – two classic musicals that rank highly with fans of the genre, both penned by composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb. Less well known is their early-nineties piece Kiss of The Spider Woman, based on a 1976 novel by Manuel Puig, exploring sexuality and political conviction within the confines of a prison . The novel inspired a 1985 film (earning William Hurt the Oscar for Best Actor – the first A-lister to receive the award for playing an openly gay character) as well as a stage play, boasting Simon Callow and Mark Rylance among its cast. Last year saw a movie version of the musical, with Jennifer Lopez taking the titular role, but it has been more than thirty years since a production has been staged in the UK. Is this a kiss worth waiting for?

The story is set in an unrelenting Buenos Aires prison during the final stages of the Argentine “Dirty War” dictatorship. Torture is a way of life, and spirits are there to be broken (when an Amnesty International official visits and shows concern for prisoners’ human rights, she is told by a warden, “Define human – then we will talk about rights”). The action takes place mainly inside the cell of Molina (Fabian Soto Pacheco), a flamboyant window dresser imprisoned for being gay.

To survive the harsh realities of incarceration, he immerses himself in memories of the movies he watched as a child, at the cinema where his beloved mother worked. He obsesses about an iconic leading lady, Aurora (Anna-Jane Casey) – to him, she represents beauty, glamour, and boldness. But one of her roles troubles him deeply – that of the Spider Woman, a dark and gothic character who brings death to anybody she kisses. He senses that she is never far from him.

Molina’s world is shaken when Marxist revolutionary Valentin (George Blagden) is sent to prison for his political beliefs, and the pair are forced to become cellmates. Battling wildly different opinions and the continual threat of the guards, they must try to survive any way they can.

The three leads are all strong – Blagden gives a finely nuanced performance as the political rebel coming to terms with his prejudices. Casey attacks her dual roles of Aurora and the Spider Woman with tremendous gusto, bringing Hollywood razzle dazzle and seductive elegance in equal measure – her voice is incredible and her dancing breathtaking. But the biggest plaudits go to rising star Pacheco – from the moment he makes his initial entrance alongside the audience he captivates, with a performance that is warm, vulnerable, and utterly believable.

Kander and Ebb’s score is well up to the standard of their earlier musicals, with numbers ranging from the rousing political anthem “Day After That” to the giddily camp carnival of “Let’s Make Love.” The live band provide magnificent accompaniment throughout, intensifying the drama as it unfolds.

To take such a grim premise for a show and craft it into a production that uplifts and moves as well as shocks and horrifies is a testament to the combined talents of the cast and creatives. The skilful interspersion of scenes of visceral violence and poignant melodrama ensures that the show feels fresh, relevant, and very real. Special technical credit goes to lighting designer Howard Hudson – the atmospheric effects throughout are highly varied and elevate the production immensely.

Kiss of The Spider Woman has the feel of being something of an overlooked treasure, a gem that has lain out of sight for too long. This revival brings it to the surface with dazzling results.