REVIEW - The Shawshank Redemption is a superb showcase of acting, character, and ensemble work. It's a must-see production!

On Wednesday, we were invited to HOME, Manchester to see The Shawshank Redemption. Read what our reviewer Karen Ryder had to say about this fantastic drama...

“I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really: Get busy living, or get busy dying.”

This is a powerful and sobering statement that cuts right to the heart of The Shawshank Redemption, reminding us that life is all about the choices we make, and how we live or die by them.  It epitomises the stripped back nature of life in its rawest form, and what surviving at all costs truly means.  This is a story beyond crime, jail and convicts.  It offers a glimpse into the vortex of the human spirit during its most helpless moments, and somehow, finds hope and inspiration.  This Stephen King Novella became a successful 1994 Hollywood movie starring the likes of Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman and was nominated for 7 Academy Awards before finding new life in the theatre in 2009.  Adapted for stage by Owen O’ Neill and Dave Johns, The Shawshank Redemption takes a long hard look at friendship, injustice, desperation, and shines a harsh prison spotlight on the truth that none of us is designed to survive alone.

The show starts with Red introducing us to his world as he stands inside Shawshank, and we witness the arrival of the new prisoners, naked, deloused, and vulnerable.  One of them is Andy Dufresne.  Andy Dufresne is not someone who would spring to mind as a double murderer.  He is unassuming, quiet, and almost invisible, yet he has been found guilty of the homicide of his wife and her lover and must learn how to survive Shawshank.  As a surprising friendship develops between him and the prison fixer Red, they learn to strip away their shackles and find a way to trust each other.  They connect through vulnerability, discussing ideas of hope against resignment, free will against institutionalisation, and the belief in change versus acceptance.  But Andy’s reserved nature makes him an easy target for the prison ‘Sisters’ gang, resulting in brutal beatings and sexual abuse.  When Warden Stammas uses this to manipulate Andy for his own corrupt means, it sets off a chain reaction of divisive choices.  Despite the warnings, Andy uses his banking skills to support the prison guards illegal finances, and instead of gaining favour, he requests beers for his fellow inmates.  This simple choice brings a little humanity, normality, and hope to otherwise lost souls.  As his persistence to receive funding for a library pays off, education becomes a possible lifeline and Andy suddenly finds himself relevant, useful and in demand with both prisoners and wardens alike.  But when a disagreement with Stammas lands him in solitary confinement, it appears Andy is a broken man.  He does not want to end up like Brooksie – the lifer who has no idea how to adjust to the outside world when he is released, and so Andy hatches a desperate plan, one that will either end with him getting busy living or getting busy dying.

The prison set is cleverly constructed (Gary McCann), with cells running along the side of the stage presenting entrance and exit points, looming arches along the back, and an infinite walkway above.  Tables, beds, and bookshelves are brought on to depict the minimal scene changes needed.  Lighting by Chris Davey sets the dark and desolate atmosphere, through minimal chinks of light, oppressing shadows, and the tantalising tease of sunlight - a solitary link to the outside world.  An eerie and effective notion of the oppressing prison is captured through background noise and sound effects (Andy Graham), such as the chilling slamming and clanking prison cells signalling a loss of freedom, the screams of a beaten inmate, and distant sirens warning of an ever present danger.  Music is played at intervals throughout the play, with songs matching the year of the story - a simple yet brilliant way to show the passing of time.  Brutal beatings, weapon attacks and gang rape are a tough watch but allow the audience to focus on how the inmates deal with the lasting trauma.  This feeds into the vulnerabilities of humanity we see Andy display, offering hope of survival even through the darkest situations.  There is a surprising humour to be found throughout the play, blended together through cynicism, sarcasm, gallows humour, or just pure moments where the harshness of life is forgotten and laughing is the only thing to do.  It brings subtle and nuanced light and shade, stripping away stereotypes of criminals being only the sum of their crime.  It is remarkable how you end up liking these characters, even as you are listening to each of them admit their guilt to murder, you find it hard to match their crime with the character you have been watching.  

Ben Onwukwe (Leading roles with the RSC and Royal Court, The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe, London’s Burning) reprises his role as Red, and it is just as captivating from when I first saw him bring the role to life in 2022.  With a powerful aura, he commands as much respect and attention from the audience as he does the inmates.  He oozes empathy, kindness, understanding, humour, all delicately balanced with an under lying current of a man who is not to be messed with.  His striking friendship with Andy therefore plays out with mesmerising intrigue, confirming the core of this story, that change is possible and often comes in the most surprising ways.  He allows this human growth to be displayed through delicate subtleties, a pause as he thinks, a look as he considers, a shift of weight as he decides.  It is brilliant acting, saying so very much without the need for words.  Joe McFadden (2:22, Rocky Horror, Holby) exudes the reluctant and reserved flawed hero of the story, portraying Andy Dufresne with a perfect balance of awkward aloofness and intellect.  Despite his outward weaknesses, McFadden expertly displays Andy’s inner steel.  This is a man who is brainy, ballsy, and brilliantly skilled at getting what he wants.  This makes for incredible acting as we see multi facets of Andy, determination, fear, humiliation, and kindness in the darkest of moments.  He has to be able to bring hope to the performance, and it is done with such vulnerability that it is heart achingly good.  There are also hints of a cheeky humour at play, making us like this inmate even more.  And that is the key.  We have to like Andy.  We have to will him on else the entire show fails.  And he wins us all over.

Bill Ward (The Full Monty, Emmerdale, Coronation Street) plays Warden Stammas with a skin crawling excellence.  He is brutally convincing at playing the vile disciplinarian.  Exploitation, manipulation, violence, and fear permeate everything he does through his sweet and sour performance, angry and volatile one moment then calm and controlling the next.  He oozes abusive power with the way he stands, looks, smirks, and speaks, and even when shouting there is an air that this is a man always in control.  Another fantastic performance. 

Kenneth Jay (Witness For The Prosecution, The Woman In Black, Doctor Who) packs a punch as Brooksie.  This unassuming character’s story catches you unawares.  A perfectly pitched performance ensures the audience truly feel the shock of it.  There were gasps as his story played out, begging the question of what rehabilitation really is, or more importantly, what it isn’t.  His final scenes were heartbreaking to watch.  Sean Kingsley as Bogs and Ashley D Gayle as Rooster were sinister, intimidating and terrifying in equal measure.  From their violent and threatening personas, they made their presence felt every time they appeared, and their restrained vocal delivery was so much more effective than shouting their threats with volume.  Ashley D Gayle added an unhinged psychotic edge to his performance that was chilling, with manic tendencies that left you on edge and holding your breath.  The entire cast completing the inmates and prison officers all brought a wonderful individuality and believable character.  Whether it be a fixed stare, a distinct laugh, a particular walk, a flex of a muscle, a nervous nature, or an authoritative stance, this cast are strong and hold equal importance in creating this slice of dark prison life.  Directed by David Esbjornson and Tim Welton, The Shawshank Redemption is a superb showcase of acting, character, and ensemble work.

The Shawshank Redemption will leave you emotional, particularly the inspired way the ending is delivered, a visual metaphor providing the abundant contrast between existing and living.  For this is a story about the human spirit, what can and cannot be taken from us, and how choice and response offer us untouchable hope.  The Shawshank Redemption does offer redemption.  It beautifully insists we examine the grey areas of life, for that is where possibility thrives.  Good people can do bad things, and bad people can do good things, and if we allow ourselves to be malleable to circumstance, our ending is never written in stone.  Hope, loss, unconditional friendship, revenge, humour, sadness, and the complexity of humanity are all inmates at Shawshank, and this universal desire for redemption is why it has held up as one of the best stories ever told.  

WE SCORE THE SHAWSHAWK REDEMPTION...



The Shawshank Redemption is on HOME, Manchester until Saturday 11th October 2025.

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