Gods of Salford

I did not realise just how impressed I would be with the talent I witnessed in this show. Gods of Salford is an empowering, inspiring, all-round incredible performance, filled to the brim with insane young talent. The show follows a group of resilient young Olympians, daring to change their destinies and challenge the gods. Whilst these young people battle to win 3 challenges, real stories from local young people and communities are revealed, weaving another layer into this intricate tapestry of Salford on the stage.

The stage was set in a thrust, drawing the audience in, and making them feel part of the story. This charged the atmosphere, and alongside the compelling performances from all the actors, I was left starstruck and thoroughly moved. The 3 challenges were presented like a gameshow, directly addressing and interacting with the audience. The two presenters, Hermes Alpha, Jimmy Fairhurst (Trial by Jury, Peterloo, Brassed Off), and Hermes Beta, Max Healey, delivered charismatic performances with a hilarious back-and-forth double act, which left me in stitches.

Fairhurst, also being the director, has created something really special with the show, showcasing the amazing young talent in Salford, one of these being Healey. He was enthusiastic and charming, getting the audience involved and immersed. I was lucky enough to get to speak to some of the cast after the show, and there is no shortage of talent or love for theatre. I just want to take this moment to mention all the other cast members because each and every one of their performances was utterly captivating: Emily Lynch, Callum Robinson, Alyssa Sharples, Alivia Andrew, Nia Fletcher, Bella Hulme, Caitlin Beaumont, Libby Needles, Molly Jones, Chloe Lonsdale, Leilani Seveali’i-Samuels, Alesha Mutimukulu, Mollie Wainhouse, Mubarak Al Tahir, Charlie Hill, Erika Beduschi, Apollo Riley-Mott, Adam Owers, Ava Booth, Joshua Birchall, Ryan Kinsi, Alex Jones. I was blown away by their performances and they should all be very proud of themselves, especially considering this was a lot of their debut performances.

Leading the cast was Zeus, played by Anthony Quinlan (Emmerdale, Hollyoaks, London Kills), and Hera, played by Laura Harrison (Wicked, Sunset Boulevard, The Rocky Horror Show). These two gods were Gods of the stage, holding an incredible tension in their scenes. I have to applaud the music composition as well, especially since Harrison is an incredible vocalist, showing off her skills in a few solo songs; her riffs and range were breathtaking! By her side, Quinlan had an empowering stage presence, and at times even scared me a little with how well he played the angry god Zeus. Both of them together showed me just how powerful the gods could be, and made the show complete.

I would also like to point out the sheer amount of different aspects to the show, from ballet, to physical theatre, even a live guitarist! It was fast paced, but I loved every second I was in there, and I would not hesitate to watch a second time if the opportunity arose. The storytelling was comedic, yet threaded in those real-life stories in such a heartfelt manner it brought audience members to tears. It is easy to say I have not seen a show that interesting and innovative and brand-new in a long time.

On my way home, my dad pointed out the fact that I can get very overwhelmed after watching shows that I enjoy, because they provoke such a feeling of euphoria within me that I can’t hold it in. But, he described the feeling as being “Wonder-whelmed” ; I was in such a state of wonder I could barely describe the feeling. I thought this was a perfect way to summarise how I felt leaving this performance, and I’m sure I was not alone in this feeling. Sparking deep emotions in an audience is exactly what live theatre is made for, and this show is a sensation I will never forget.

If you are lucky enough to get a ticket to this show, I can promise you it will be one of the best performances you have ever watched. Fueled by the fervour and flair of the young people of Salford, Gods of Salford is a 5 star phenomenon.