Review: Kiss of the Spider Woman, Mayflower Studios

(Photo Credit: Marc Brenner)

If asked to choose between life or love, which would you choose? How far would you go for the sake of your cause? Deep within the walls of an Argentine prison, two men are forced to share a cell: Valentin, a revolutionary, and Molina, who has been detained for being queer. In an attempt to find some salvation as the horrors escalate, Molina regales Valentin with tales of the movies he grew up with, including the only one that still scares him…

This story is an adaptation of a seventies novel by Manuel Puig. The original stage production was a play performed at the Bush Theatre in nineteen eighty five. It was later adapted into a musical, which was performed on the West End and Broadway in the nineties. The current production marks the first professional revival of the show in the UK since nineteen ninety two.

(Photo Credit: Marc Brenner)

Where does the silk of a spider web begin and where does it end? Perhaps with the set, which weaves together the metallic with the neon in the form of strip lights and iron bars. Worn fabric sheets draped over cold slabs.

There is no denying this set is very dynamic, with its varying levels and use of lighting to define barriers between sections of the space- however it's also incredibly claustrophobic.

A single square for the real lives of the characters to live in is illuminated by unforgiving cobalt lights and cell-bar shadows. It sits on the cusp of minimalism, which is what makes it so perfect, and generates a tense atmosphere before the show has even started. We get the feeling of having just become the flies trapped in the web, waiting for death. It's hard to see how any of the vibrancy of life could enter a space like this, yet it does.

In the midst of the darkness, Molina arrives as a beacon of hope come to snip away the threads that tie us down. Fabian Soto Pacheco is absolutely phenomenal in this role with the voice of a songbird in the form of a chameleon. He may not be the strongest dancer but he doesn't need to be, he has gripping stage presence and acute, considered attention to detail in his physicality and gestural choices. Why does this matter? His portrayal of his character's ability to keep going and keep finding the beautiful in the bleak is so powerful that it flows like a lake in a desert. We really root for Molina, in spite of some of his more morally grey actions. Whilst we empathise with his deep rooted fears and inclination to retreat, we will for him to stand his ground more. A feeling which Valentin also shares.

Valentin is also perfectly cast, with George Blagden joining the fight for the rights of the people. His voice compliments Pacheco’s beautifully and Blagen is an expert at working with the pacing of the show to uncover the layers of his character. 

(Photo Credit: Marc Brenner)

It’s worth pointing out that Pacheco and Blagden seem to have a natural kinetic chemistry. This is a particular make or break aspect of this musical because without this, the walls between the two characters might crack rather than fully crumble, undermining the poignancy and urgency.

There are times where words aren't enough to describe the sensation of witnessing a true living legend step onto the stage. Such is the case with Anna-Jane Casey in the role of Aurora/The Spider Woman. As a performer, she sinks her teeth into your heart and you feel the venom turn to wine. Her character is dangerous but intoxicating and Casey's portrayal is lethal in its once- in- a- lifetime memorability, especially with her hypnotically enchanting voice.

With the running metaphor of the Spider Woman as representing the kiss of death, this show asks us what would we be willing to risk for the sake of love? Would we be willing to kiss the Spider Woman if it meant fighting for the right cause or the right person? And even with her intoxicating ways and habit of always lurking in the background, it argues that we still have a choice over when we face her.

We can be brave enough to embrace the people society ostracises just for being themselves. We can bring back the magic of a happy ending and dazzling hope by standing up for what is good and right and imperfectly gorgeous in this technicolour world. 

This story has never felt more relevant and I’m honestly baffled as to why it wasn’t revived sooner.

A true dance with the deadly, this show will draw you in with a kiss before eating you inside out.

***** Five Stars

Age rating: Fifteen plus.

Content notes: strobe, coloured lights, flashing lights/coloured flashing lights, replica gun and gunshots/gunshot sound effects, references to sexual violence, scenes of abuse and torture, homophobia, brief nudity, strong language, adult themes, imagery of spiders/spider webs.

For more information and tickets: https://www.mayflower.org.uk/whats-on/kiss-of-the-spider-woman-2026/