Over a century after his famously brutal murders, London’s Jack the Ripper continues to fascinate and intrigue those who come across his name. Jack the Ripper tours have sprung up around East London, where tour guides routinely parade titillated tourists to now-famous locations that were once the haunts of the elusive serial killer. And now, in a brand new, creatively conceived musical at the King’s Head Theatre, audiences are given the rare opportunity to venture into the lesser-known lives of Jack’s victims.
In RIP, written by Sonnie Beckett with a score by Beckett and Joe Morrow, the role of the infamous Jack takes a backseat to Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine, Mary Jane, and Ellen — six women whose names are often reduced to footnotes, but each of whom had stories of their own before their lives were mercilessly taken from them in legendary murders. The musical adopts a narrative about two doctors responsible for the dead women’s post-mortem investigations, and each woman has the chance to tell her own story through a series of monologues, dialogues, and songs. Hannah Kaye directs the piece with perfect precision; at times creepy, at times melancholy, and at other times upbeat, her direction keeps its unique format perfectly intact for a powerful delivery.
Entering the lives of Jack’s five victims (and a sixth murder victim with ties to Jack’s story) is an eye-opening adventure from the start — upon entering the theatre, you are immediately faced with the stares of the grim protagonists who seem achingly ready to have their stories heard. As each woman eventually takes the spotlight, the little known nuances about these once-real people are revealed — from having a broken heart to a mental illness to an unborn child, RIP sheds light on what history has left behind of these women.
Sadly, there is still a vast amount about these women and their stories that is unknown, and the attempt to truly get to know their characters requires Beckett to spread the limited knowledge quite thinly throughout their personal narratives. However, this alone makes for a powerful statement for the overall piece – for all we know and care to investigate about the man behind the killings, most of us haven’t bothered to think about the nearly lost and forgotten identities of his victims. And while the limited sources don’t manage to paint a full picture of their lives, the honest and vulnerable performances are still successful in highlighting the chilling reality of their experiences. Writer and composer Sonnie Beckett is in the female cast along with Gemma Brodrick, Sarah Anne Cowell, Stephanie De Whalley, Emma Hook and Carla Turner, and all six women deliver dynamic and sensitive portrayals that give life and voice to women who were once prematurely and unfairly silenced.
The musical is successful on both technical and emotional levels; Beckett and Morrow’s score is pleasantly surprising in its versatility, ranging from powerful ballads to upbeat numbers to sorrowful lullabies, and the three men who complete the cast (Thomas Deplae, Joe Morrow, and Peter-Lee Harper) help carry the story with strength and conviction. From conception to delivery, it’s clear that the show has been well-researched, well-rehearsed, and the tightness of the production allows it to hit all the right notes. The musical is unapologetically dark and gory, yet simultaneously sensitive to the women’s lives and their untold stories, and the conclusion sees an unexpected turn of events that attempts to finally restore the women with their power. This original show is harrowing and dark, and not for the faint of heart, but it’s about time that someone told these women’s stories, and RIP certainly seems to do them justice.
RIP is playing the King’s Head Theatre until 31 July. For more information and tickets, see the Kings Head Theatre website.