Project Walter | Bridewell Theatre

Project Walter, which has a book, music and lyrics by Filip Holacky, is a new musical that is both clever and ambitious in its storytelling approach. Directed by Liam Tiesteel, the musical employs dance and musical numbers as its voice; creating a show that is a treat for the senses. The musical takes audiences on a thrilling and emotional journey as it unpacks its innovative concept. 

The musical follows the famous ballet dancer Walter (Harrison Vaughan). Walter finds himself in a research facility after being kidnapped after a performance, and discovers that he is in fact an advanced Android, specifically created to excel in his field by The Foundry (Fergus Dale). Walter spirals as he grapples with this truth, as he re-examines all his memories, most notably those of perfecting his craft for years under the guidance of his ballet teacher, Westcott (Jill Davy). However Walter's romantic inclination towards Blue (Kate Stevenson) and their imperfect relationship causes a glitch in Walter's code. Walter must escape the cold clutches of his creator, relying on his more human and emotional tendencies, and form an alliance with other mistreated Androids to stop The Foundry.

The musical's plot is an ambitious one. Holacky has crafted an intricate world that immediately grips the audience with the smaller moments of human resistance and larger revolution, amidst moments of love, fear and corruption. Holacky creates a vivid world that is fascinating and would make for an excellent book or film. However, some of the writing is lost in translation, with the plots feeling overly complicated.

Project Walter's biggest strength comes in the form of its music and choreography (Adam Maclean). The two mediums work in perfect synchronisation, creating an unique theatre experience. Maclean's choreography is flawless, with gorgeous ballet employed by Walter and the ensemble. The unspoken emotions are poured out through dance, with movements that are not only impressive to watch but are also charged with power as the raw emotions ripple over the room. Whether they were accompanying a song, or even given the centre stage to perform, the ensemble (Reece Bailey-Davies, Caitlin Mae Hutley, Harry Chaloner, Taylor Hayes, Ben Randall and Ellie Tames) are all in excellent form. The show strives for perfection and the choreography achieves it with ease. 

The music swells over the entire audience, filling the room with an electricity of its own. The songs are emotional, reaching for new heights in both music and lyrics, creating a score that shines throughout. The songs form the show's backbone with beautiful moments of storytelling wrapped around it; and with powerful vocals that more than do them justice. The layering of the confrontational duets between Dale and Vaughan are particularly spectacular, almost reminiscent of that in Les Miserables between Javert and Jean Valjean. 

The performances, likewise, are all strong. Davy's words of wisdom along with her formidable presence is used well, creating a sense of depth that helps anchor the piece. Stevenson is a breath of fresh air, with a grace and charm that feels so authentic and calming. Stevenson's sweet nature along with her emotional responses makes her an instantly lovable character. Dale does an impressive job, balancing the ruthless and morbid fascination of an unhinged creator, and the facade of a friendly face. Dale's dual personality creates a real contrast that makes the character very interesting. 

Vaughan as Walter excels in the role. His precision as a dancer is admirable, bringing a sense of fluidity to the choreography and his performance as he slowly breaks down in fits of anger and confusion, conveying the intensity of the plot. Vaughan is a triple threat, with his vocals becoming a mesmerising feature of the song. Each song that Vaughan performs is a show stopper number, with a mature performance that highly enhances the musical as a whole. 

Tom Sadler's lighting design is a strong element, allowing the small stage to feel limitless and dramatic. The use of colours and spotlights help to create a visual guide to the emotional levels that each character are at, as well as being used to effectively create a split scene. Sadler's design also creates a metaphorical prison cell for Walter. Harry Carnaby's sound design handles the multiple levels of the musical to thrive independently and as a collective. Whilst Walter experiences music and dialogue during his ballet practice, audiences can also hear the additional commentary from the Foundry's observations as they closely monitor their case study. 

At this performance there were several issues with the sound, particularly the mics, which did mean quite a lot of dialogue and lyrics were missed, especially at pivotal moments in the second act. A special shoutout to Dale who managed to belt out these numbers, whilst still maintaining the character's more rigid personality, and compensated for the failed mic issues with a quick dramatic use of his body language. (This was not the fault of the tech team, but rather a technical issue as later mentioned). 

Project Walter has a lot going for it, with a thrilling story that leaves audiences wanting to explore the world further. The story is cut short at a crucial moment, which is done excellently and leaves audiences as devastated as the characters, in a moment of boldness that is rarely written. Project Walter has the ingredients to become a best selling YA story, and theatre goers are fortunate enough for writer Holacky's desire to bring this story to life as a musical. It's a masterful debut that needs a little more polish, but currently still stands as having the potential to be the next big thing. Audiences can expect a musical that makes them feel, think and enjoy. 

Project Walter is currently playing at the Bridewell Theatre until 7th October 2025.  

★★★★☆ (4*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review