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The Lowry, Salford
19th to 24th November
*** Sylvia is a riot on stage ***
*** This could be your next musical obsession! ***
Sylvia is a riot on stage. This musical revolution flicks through the history pages at a rapid pace. We get to understand the Pankhurst family dynamics as well as squeezing 25 years of activism into this two and half hour show. Time went pretty quick and the audience were extremely receptive of this new work.
Beverley Knight plays the juggernaut feminist Emmeline Pankhurst. We got to see a different side of this iconic woman. Whilst we all know the story of her getting the vote for women! This story goes deeper and puts a spotlight on the fact that this vote was only for women over 30 who were middle class. It was Sylvia who fought on without her mother support for working class women and got the vote for ALL women nine years later. We do gain understanding of how the two Pankhurst women both differed in their approaches when fighting for the rights of others and how this caused conflict in their family.
Kate Price has written, directed and choreographed the show. The music has a R&B and rap vibe all poetically delivered, with some funk/hip hop and soul fusion that leaves you feeling invigorated. There were some moments that seemed a little off that kinda fell short for us and didn’t really fit and flow. The strong cast brings energy and puts life into Kate’s choreography. Stand out songs for us - BE THE CHANGE / STAND UP / SYLVIA, SILVIA & the anthemic MAKE SOME NOISE.
Beverley Knight as Emmeline Pankhurst hit it out of the park and brought the house down with some amazing rifts. Naomi Katiyo as Sylvia Pankhurst is a showstopper and powerhouse in her own right. The two together create amazing chemistry and fantastic storytelling.
Ben Stones set has a simple monochrome styling that punctuates the oppression of women and the working classes. He then throws colourful dashes of red in the shape of the characters socialist uniforms demonstrating that viewpoints are moving forward and there is more to life than the mundane. The set comes to life with Andrzej Goulding video & animation projections that flashed up imagery used in the Stonewall riots. It’s eye catching and relevant. Costumes also from Ben Stones were giving handmaids tale vibes. Strong lines to match the strong women who inhabit these garments. Power dressing indeed.
I’m drawn to think of modern - educational musicals and highly entertaining shows such as SIX, HAMILTON, PRIDE - all sharing a dynamic snapshot of a time in history that offers a fresh storytelling for a 2026 audience. The cast are all selling this show hard. Maybe too hard? The lyrics are incredibly moving. Looking around the audience there were heads bobbing in time to the beats. It’s well received.
Halfway through the tour - So why isn’t everyone talking about this show? I think as the show travels the land on its next x3 stops it’s gunna gather some more momentum & be a massive hit. It’s West End star quality in the heart of Salford. This could be your next musical obsession! Plays, until Sat 24th October 2026
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