Review: Pearl and Dagger

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Pearl and Dagger.
Pearl and Dagger is the story of Tokoyo, a young woman dealing with the grief over her deceased mother. When her father, the former samurai Oribe, is wrongly imprisoned on a mysterious island, she sets out on a journey to find him, and must discover the secrets of the island, her family, and the meaning of real bravery.

The last time I attended the theatre was in early March, and as a consequence of this I have not attended any live theatrical production in over 5 months. Whilst it has been a privilege to watch so much digital theatre during this period of time, there really is nothing like being there in the moment and experiencing something live. I was so grateful to once again be reunited with the theatre, and it's certainly a step in the right direction. Whilst we still have a long road to go before reaching normalcy, we should be very grateful for what we have at this point in time. Those responsible for this production of Pearl and Dagger should certainly be commended for putting this together. It was an experimental project, intended to examine the ways in which live theatre could take place in the age of social distancing, and it appeared to go very well indeed. I would therefore like to extend my personal gratitude to all of those that took the time and effort to ensure this could run as smoothly as possible. In addition to this, it was also a free event, which is yet another quality worthy of commendation. By making these events accessible to all, it is possible for all within the community to engage with the arts. This too is remarkable, and worthy of high praise.

Pearl and Dagger's strongest attribute is its musical score, which has been written by Eden Tredwell. The songs proved to be quite powerful, with several melodies there were evidently quite haunting. In particular, the song 'Weightless' proved to be a particular highlight; it had a real emotional impact, with poignant lyrics and a beautiful melody. The orchestrations were carried out by a sole pianist, also Treadwell, who was simply wonderful. She really helped the musical score to come alive, and her precision was outstanding.

The entirety of the cast were excellent, and every one of them should be commended for their skills. They gelled very well together, and had good chemistry with one another. The stand-out performance however came from Sok-Ho Trinh, who portrayed Master Shima. Trinh had so much passion, his performance, and the affection he conveyed through his portrayal of a concerned father was genuinely believable. Beyond this, he was also an outstanding singer, demonstrating strong vocals throughout.

Now for my final verdict on Pearl and Dagger...

Pearl and Dagger was a very unique experience, and I am thrilled to have had the chance to attend. This production played for one day only, however I hope that the show will have a future life later down the line.

Think it should have got a higher rating? Agree with my rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Thanks for reading!

-The Basic Theatre Reviewer