The Secret Garden Review: rare revival blossoms in one-act wonder
- Jack Davey
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
19 March 2026 I 19:00 I York Theatre Royal
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite
Many of us will recognise The Secret Garden as a novel, originally written by Frances Hodgson Burnett, which we may have grown up with or studied through school. Although the musical, written by Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman, tends to get lost in British theatre history. After his position as York Theatre Royal's artistic director from 1993-1997, Tony Award-winning John Doyle returns to reconceptualise The Secret Garden in a delightful actor-musician production.
Mary Lennox, born to wealthy parents in the British Raj, moves to a Yorkshire countryside manor with her Uncle Archibald when she is orphaned. Neglected to play outside, she learns of a garden that belonged to Archibald's wife Lily, which has been locked up since her passing. Determined to find the hidden garden, Mary sets out on a mission to revive its magical powers, and heal her cousin Colin.
The key difference with this revival is a heavily reduced run-time of 90 minutes (no interval), where it typically runs around 2hrs 30m. Taking this into consideration, nothing of substance feels lost, remaining clear and concise. The actor-muso concept is genius, as musicians glide across the stage like benevolent spirits of the manor. Sometimes jumping into characters, other times creating soundscapes as a tight ensemble, their ghostly guise is aptly Victorian to suit York's aesthetic.
Mary is dressed in modern costume (under Gabrielle Dalton's design) with jeans and a hoodie, setting her apart as a symbol of modern empathy, if not periodically accurate. In contrast to Archibald's (Henry Jenkinson) muted suit and the historical costuming of the ghosts that time forgot, whose values are more traditional.
Visually, Doyle & David L. Arsenault's scenic design has five translucent drapes that rise and fall to represent different locations. Their texture lends itself to the "clingy mist" of the Yorkshire Moors. The character of Lily, who is only mentioned briefly in the novel, manifests as a living statue in this adaptation. On a plinth behind the drapes, these dull her silhouette to give her a stone-like appearance. When the drapes lower, the back wall of the theatre is exposed, mimicking the brick walls of the garden.
Estella Evans really holds her own as a confident 10-year-old Mary, nearly always onstage and never putting a foot wrong. She is able to sustain really profound scenes with the adult cast, and her tone and clarity in song is spot on for such a musically layered production. Dexter Pulling's Colin gifts an equally strong support, with the young cast astutely present in their sentiment.
The presence of Lily's ghost makes this revival especially touching, where Joanna Hickman's poise allows for Lily to appear ethereal and motherly. Vocally, every time Hickman opens her mouth a lump forms in my throat, a sheer testament to her rich emotive skill. Playing the cello, she carries a melancholy connection to Archibald which is much slower in pace to other characters. Music is poetry, attaching personalities to particular sounds and instruments like never seen with this story.
Vocalising the sound of wind and creating an orchestral, aggressive storm, the show's delivery embraces the theme of nature in all of its unpredictability. Lighting designs by Johanna Town revel in the surreal, as Lily's garden transcends the bleak manor. Elliot Mackenzie (Dickon) and Catrin Mai Edwards (Martha) both dazzle in their respective supporting solos, showcasing tremendous vocal and musical prowess.
The harmonies and musical talents across The Secret Garden are off the scale. I highly expect fans of The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button to fall in love with the actor-muso quality to Doyle's revival. And positively pleased by its 90 minute run-time, audiences can prepare for a wholesome and complete spring journey that warms the heart. I will certainly be booking a return trip, and I strongly advise you do the same for a gold dust production.
Information and Tickets: https://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/show/the-secret-garden-the-musical/
