Yeast Nation – Southwark Playhouse

★★★★☆

Ever wondered what the evolution of life would look like if it was told through the genre of musical theatre? No, neither have I. And at times I wasn’t quite sure what I was watching!

Yeast Nation is a musical from the creators of Urinetown. Set 3,000,458,000 years ago the idea for the show came to Greg Kotis while watching a production of a Greek play. He wondered what the oldest story in the world was, and the idea for Yeast Nation was born.

This European premiere is set in the primordial soup this is a show about evolution. The Yeasts are one of the earliest life form – single cell organisms – and live under the waters. Jan the Eldest (Christopher Howell) is in charge and he does all that he can to ensure that the Yeasts live according to the rules and strictures. He cannot allow things to change – as one of the more memorable songs states, ‘Stasis is the Membrane’ that holds them all together. His eldest child, Jan the Second Eldest (Stephen Lewis-Johnson) is set to take over from him, but his second child, Jan the Sly (Mari McGinley) has other ideas.

Are you seeing a pattern with the characters here?

The most endearing character is Jan the Sweet (Hannah Nuttall) who drives the story forward as she seeks to understand what is above the surface and what future the Yeasts may have. Hannah Nuttall is a 2022 graduate and she is definitely one to watch in the future.

The Jans are completed with Jan the Unnamed (Sarah Slimami) who acts as a narrator of sorts, Jan the Wise (Shane Convery), Jan the Wretched (James Gulliford), and Jan the Famished (Marisa Harris).

Whilst this will never be a blockbuster musical it was definitely a fun evening out. The audience interaction was great (especially as I had a front row seat). I absolutely cannot fault the cast as their energy and enthusiasm drove the show forward. In an interesting move, the producers decided to cast 50% of the performers from recent graduates affected by Covid-19 who hadn’t received the opportunities that are usually given the new graduates. Stephen Lewis-Johnson graduated in 2020, whilst Marisa Harris, Sarah Sliming, and Hannah Nuttall all gradated this year.

Now I try not to read reviews of shows before I go and see them, and I admit to being surprised by the reviews that this has received. Some choices were questionable – the costumes were green unitards with gauze stuck in tufts all over them (but then again what DOES Yeast look like) – but the performances shone and raised the level of the production.