Side Show | Southwark Playhouse Borough, London, October 21 – December 3, 2016
Henry Krieger and Bill Russell’s cult musical about conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, who became vaudeville stars in 1930s America. Directed by Hannah Chissick with choreography by Matthew Cole, the Southwark Playhouse production marked the show’s first major London staging. The musical explores themes of exploitation, identity, and the price of fame through the true story of the Hilton sisters’ rise from circus “freaks” to performers fighting for autonomy and love.
takis created a circus aesthetic befitting the cast of outsiders and misfits, designing an inclusive, immersive experience that placed audiences inside the freak show/vaudeville world. The design captured both the tawdry spectacle of carnival exploitation and the genuine artistry of the sisters’ performances. The intimate Southwark Playhouse space intensified the production’s emotional impact, bringing audiences close to the sisters’ story.
The production received positive reviews for capturing the musical’s delicate balance between entertainment and ethics, spectacle and humanity. A concert performance at the London Palladium in 2024 demonstrated the show’s lasting impact, eight years after this Southwark production introduced it to London audiences.
Creative Team: Music: Henry Krieger | Book/Lyrics: Bill Russell | Director: Hannah Chissick | Choreography: Matthew Cole | Designer: takis | Sound: Dan Simpson