Incendiary, Wilton's Music Hall
★★★★
There can be few more fitting places to spend an evening with Samuel Pepys than Wilton's Music Hall. Hidden away down a narrow alley in Whitechapel, this much-loved London gem has history woven into its very walls. Although best known as the world's oldest surviving grand music hall, parts of the building date back to the seventeenth century, placing it remarkably close to the world Pepys himself inhabited. Sitting beneath its timeworn balconies and surrounded by layers of London's past, it felt less like attending a performance and more like stepping into the pages of a diary that has somehow survived the centuries.
Created by Hambletts and adapted by Deirdre Shields, Incendiary combines Pepys' own words with period music to create an intimate portrait of one of England's greatest diarists. While the production takes us through familiar landmarks of the period, including plague, fire, politics and war, what surprised me most was how much I learnt about Pepys himself.
Like many people, I knew the broad outlines of his story. What I wasn't expecting was such a fascinating insight into his career and personal life. The production explores his rise through public office, the influence he wielded within government and his significance far beyond the diary for which he is remembered today. Equally compelling are the glimpses into his marriage to Elizabeth and the affairs and flirtations that frequently complicated it. By the end of the evening, I felt I understood far more about the man behind the famous words.
At the heart of the production is Edward Bennett, whose portrayal of Pepys is utterly absorbing. Bennett has a wonderfully rich and expressive voice that suits the material perfectly. Whether recounting moments of ambition, vanity, vulnerability or sheer delight, he captures Pepys' personality with remarkable ease. There is warmth, wit and humanity throughout his performance, making Pepys feel less like a distant historical figure and more like an old friend sharing stories over a glass of wine. It is a carefully judged performance that allows both the humour and flaws of the diarist to shine through.
Grace Davidson takes on the role of Elizabeth Pepys while also providing the evening's vocal performances. Her soprano voice is beautifully clear and effortlessly elegant, bringing a welcome emotional depth to the production. The decision to give Elizabeth a voice of her own works particularly well, allowing us to see beyond the perspective of her famously observant husband.
The accompanying musicians are equally accomplished. David le Page's violin, Daniel Murphy's lute and Nick Stringfellow's cello create a rich musical backdrop that complements the storytelling throughout. For much of the evening, the combination of words and music works beautifully, helping to evoke both the grandeur and hardship of Restoration London. There were occasional moments when the spoken passages and musical interludes did not quite meld together as seamlessly as elsewhere, but these were few and far between and did little to diminish the overall impact.
What I enjoyed most was how contemporary Pepys ultimately feels. His observations about politics, public crises, ambition and human weakness remain surprisingly relatable more than three centuries later. In the unique surroundings of Wilton's, that connection becomes even stronger. Few venues can claim such a close relationship with London's history and its faded grandeur provides exactly the right atmosphere for a production that celebrates one of the city's greatest chroniclers.
Thoughtful, informative and beautifully performed, Incendiary brings history vividly to life. It offers a fascinating insight into the man behind the diary and left me eager to discover even more about Samuel Pepys. Quite simply, I cannot imagine a better setting for it than Wilton's Music Hall.
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