The Color Purple - A Beautiful Story of Triumph

Fun Fact: All three leading ladies are making their Broadway debut with this revival.

Target Audience: Young and mature audiences will enjoy this show.

Feel-o-meter: Deeply moved by the music and incredibly proud of the changes we have made in history, and hopeful for further growth.

Best Bit: Cynthia Erivo's final solo "I'm Here" should read BYOT (bring your own tissues)

Standout Actor: Cynthia Erivo is "Too Beautiful for Words" - sung to her by Jennifer Hudson (Shug Avery) which is probably the coolest way to make your Broadway debut!

Verdict: A beautiful story of triumph, the music and performances will move you.

Alice Walker wrote the immensely moving novel The Color Purple in 1982, and the following year it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The story was then transformed into a film which was directed by Steven Spielberg and introduced Whoopi Goldberg who played the leading character, Celie. As many people will recall this film was graphic and heart wrenching, so when the Broadway revival was announced I was certainly apprehensive to see this cruel story live on stage. It follows the life of Celie, a young African American girl living in Georgia between 1909 to 1949. If you dust off your history books you may recall this time was no good for an uneducated, poor, African American, especially if you were female. Well, Celie ticks all the boxes and her journey of trial and triumph is fascinating.

The musical begins with Celie (Cynthia Erivo) and her sister Nettie (Joaquina Kalukango), and while their singing is gorgeous you can't help wonder, where's Jennifer? Yes, Jennifer Hudson making her Broadway debut! The excitement to see her live on stage is obvious and advertisements have hyped her up to be the show pony. The chorus enters and raises the roof singing "Mysterious Ways", and at this point the tone is set for a night of jazz, gospel, ragtime and blues - music that moves the soul. As I was looking through the characters on stage and wondering where Miss Hudson was, my husband too leaned over and whispered "Where is she?" He also wanted to ensure he didn't mistake her for someone else - not that that would be possible! As Erivo sings her solo "Somebody's Gonna Love You" she takes control of the stage, and you fall in love. She hits every note with such power that result in Goosebumps and tears. Hudson eventually appears on stage singing "Too Beautiful For Words" 20 minutes in, and while she has a voice of an angel, her performance felt lethargic. It is clear that Erivo, who is making her Broadway debut, is the star of this musical. Nonetheless it was incredible to hear Hudson singing live on stage and I wondered if she chose to be more subdued so that Erivo could shine bright.

Danielle Brooks (Sofia) is best known for her role Taystee in Netflix's Emmy-nominated series, Orange Is The New Black. Brooks, also making her Broadway debut as the empowered and raunchy Sofia, is a delight to watch on stage and has a smile that lights the room.

There is surprisingly less violence than anticipated and most of the story we know is skimmed over quite quickly, opening up a whole new script. Sadly the staging and set design were a bit dull and only come to life during the second Act. The starkness failed a few performers and certainly some scenes. The minimalism speaks to the era and the loneliness of the character and yet never changes significantly, while the story is all about change. This was surprising as John Doyle (Direction / Set Design / Musical Staging) has shown his talents and received great acclaim for his work on previous productions ranging from Broadway, West End, Sydney Opera House and L.A Opera.

The book, written by Marsha Norman, leaves the audience feeling empowered and hopeful for change. The music and lyrics (Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray) are beautiful and we felt the shifts and changes of Celie's journey which represents so many African American lives. As Erivo sings "I'm Here" you sense the responsibility this role bears and the passion with which she delivers it is remarkable.

Reviewed by Nicola Quinn

Sunday 10th January 2016
Bernard B Jacobs Theatre, New York City
Find me on Twitter: @newyorktheatre

View our show pages for more information about The Color Purple, Bernard B Jacobs Theater.