Kiss of the Spider Woman 2026

 

Review by Paul Towers, 8/4/26

Kiss of the Spider Woman by Terrence McNally, music  John Kander, lyrics Fred Ebb

Directed by Paul Foster

Produced by Curev, Bristol Old Vic & Mayflower Southampton

At Curve til Saturday 25^th April 2026

Kiss of The Spider Woman is based on a book by Manuel Puig. It was successfully staged as a play (without music) in 1983 but it was a further 10 years before Kander & Ebb (renowned for hit musicals such as Cabaret and Chicago) added songs and broadened the story out with the help of Terrence McNally’s libretto. It is this full blown musical version that Curve is staging in a co-production with Bristol Old Vic and Mayflower Southampton.

Starting with the set you could be mistaken for thinking that this was Chicago. But no, while the song writers obviously have a fascination with prison stories, this is a far earthier, violent penitentiary. Argentina in the mid 70’s was a lawless military-ruled dictatorship where violence was the norm for anyone who came into contact with the regime (sound familiar?)

Against this background Luis Molina (Fabina Soto Pacheco), a flamboyantly gay window dresser has been arrested after being caught with a supposedly under-age agent provocateur. He is forced to share a cell with a homophobic Marxist activist called Valentin (George Blagden). In order to try and maintain his sanity Molina constantly reruns in his head the many movies of his idol, Aurora (the ever fabulous Anna-Jane Casey). Luckily for us we get to actually see the divine Aurora in a multitude of every more drag-queen-esqe frocks (designed by Gabriella Slade) emoting from her back catalogue as Molina lip-syncs along to his favourite songs and dialogue.

While Valentin is constantly beaten and tortured in order to get the names of his collaborators, Molina is bribed with the thought of early release to see his dying Mother if he can get the names from his cell mate.

As the weeks and months drag on Molina and Valentin become closer until the latter’s homophobia is replaced with genuine love for the former and they consecrate their union.

This production makes full use of Curve’s astonishing video capabilities with very realistic effects designed by Andrzej Goulding and atmospheric sound by Matt Peploe. The ensemble are choreographed by Joanna Goodwin.

Kiss of The Spider Woman is a love story set against the horrors of incarceration in a barbaric hell. It runs at Curve until Saturday 25^th April and then tours to Southampton and Bristol

Pics: Marc Brenner

www.curveonline.co.uk

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