The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Review at Theatre Royal Haymarket

Emotionally powerful new musical The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry transfers to the West End after a sell-out run at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Does this intimate and quirky meditation on grief translate to the ornate surroundings of the Theatre Royal Haymarket? Definitely… but get a decent seat…

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is a show that might take you by surprise, particularly if you haven’t seen the film or read the book (as I hadn’t). What starts as quite a familiar “old man wanders off” story develops into one of the most emotionally profound and impactful musicals you could hope to see. The seeming simplicity of the production values and relatively small cast punch well above their weight to take viewers on an emotional journey that lingers after the final curtain. The folk-infused songs, by English singer-songwriter Passenger, compliment the earthy tone and deep themes of the story. The old adage “you’ll laugh, you’ll cry” has never been truer. 

Performances – 5/5 ⭐️

Much of the success of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is due to its ensemble cast. Like other fan-favourite musicals Come From Away and Operation Mincemeat, most of the roles are played by a chorus of performers that barely leave the stage, flitting in and out of multiple characters and creating the various settings through choreography and simple stage props. Each has a moment to shine, but I will call out Jenna Boyd’s hilarious and gutsy ‘Farmer’s Wife’ and Daniel Crossley as the quirky, lovesick ‘Silver Haired Gentleman’ as particular highlights. 

Of course, the show is anchored on a hearty and believable performance by Mark Addy as Harold Fry. We know from films The Full Monty and A Knight’s Tale that Addy has comedy chops, and these are certainly put to good use, but as the story develops to show us the real motivation behind Harold’s journey, his performance truly becomes an emotional tour de force. It should be noted he is not a powerhouse singer, but nor does he need to be, and it is in fact refreshing to see a stage musical centred on such an everyman kind of character. Jenna Russell as Harold’s wife, Maureen, is quietly powerful as she takes us on a parallel journey to Harold’s, stoic and sturdy but with an undercurrent of despair. 

Noah Mullins as ‘The Balladeer’ takes on an impish, narrator kind of role, with Puck-like physicality and hauntingly beautiful vocals. As the true nature of his character is revealed, his performance evolves into a sinister spectre of grief, with an Act I closing number that will imprint itself on your mind during the interval. 

Story & Writing – 5/5 ⭐️

The writing of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry gives a feeling of dirt under your nails, and a smell of mossy earth being trodden. There are no magical universities, haunted opera houses or armies sieging barricades here. This is a story of people, like you, me and those around us.

The show begins with Harold opening a letter over breakfast, in his nondescript working-class home. The letter reveals that his old friend, Queenie, who worked with him at the brewery where he was employed for his whole career (despite being teetotal) is now in a hospice and dying from cancer. Harold struggles to write an adequate response, so after a walk to the nearest post box, he just keeps walking. Inspired by a “girl at the garage with blue hair” to believe that Queenie can pull through, he is determined to walk the whole journey from his home in Devon, to her hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed. 

Revealing the truth behind Harold and Maureen’s fractured marriage and Harold’s true motivation for this pilgrimage would be to spoil too much. Suffice to say, there are unexpected emotional gut-punches along the way, and grief remains a constant theme to the story. This may make it sound maudlin, but it’s not. This is a show that uplifts and affirms, even as it examines loss and despair. 

Direction & Production – 4/5 ⭐️

The direction and choreography, indistinguishable from each other in an ensemble-driven show like this, is taught and flowing. Scenes grow, develop and change with no pauses to the story. It makes for an absorbing experience. There’s an effortlessness to the way the story breezes along at a steady pace, with no dragging moments or dips in energy. 

I remove a star because the staging seems to particularly favour down-stage-right, with so many critical moments of the story happening in this area. To find out why this was such an issue for me, check ‘Where I sat’ further down… 

Emotional Impact – 5/5 ⭐️

If I could give more than 5 stars, I would. Every aspect of this production is geared towards the emotional strike inherent in finding out the real reason for Harold’s pilgrimage, and the impact this past event has had on his and Maureen’s lives and marriage. It can’t be understated how deftly the show tugs at the heartstrings and builds to an emotional wallop just before we get to the final act.  

This is not a pure tear-jerker though. The happy moments are profoundly happy. The uplifting moments leave you walking on air. I can’t think of another show that has had this level of emotional impact in recent years.  

Overall Experience 

I want to go back to the Theatre Royal Haymarket and watch The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry again. I want to take friends to see it who haven’t. The skilled direction of the incredibly hard-working ensemble ensures there are so many on-stage details to catch and the force of the emotional story at its core will, I think, not be blunted by repeat viewing. Passenger’s music is deeply beautiful and the brisk pace of the show means it is never boring. The only negative I can offer is that the direction needed to cover more of the stage, or at least more equally. Read below to find out why. 

Where I Sat 

I sat in Upper Circle B25. This seat was, frankly, appalling. With nobody sat in Row A, your vision of the stage is already limited to about 2/3rds. As soon as the people in Row A start leaning against the balcony in front of them, which they invariably will, you will be lucky to see about 40% of the stage. The down-stage-right section was completely cut off for me and, as mentioned above, way too many of the important story moments happened just there. They sounded lovely… but damned if I could see them at all. My advice for sitting in this seat is… don’t. No matter how cheap your ticket is, it is not worth it. For the same price you can get a much better view in the central block of the Upper Circle, or better yet, pay an extra £10-£20 for a Royal Circle seat.

Have You Seen The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry?

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