Review: The Shawshank Redemption (play), UK tour, Glasgow
- Lisa in the theatre
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
The stage adaptation of The Shawshank Redemption plays at Glasgow Theatre Royal until Saturday 28th March before continuing on UK tour through 2026. Read my review below.
The Shawshank Redemption (UK tour) ★★★★☆
Review: 24 March 2026 | Theatre Royal, Glasgow
The Shawshank Redemption is a play based on Stephen King’s 1982 novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The work has been adapted for the stage by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns.
Frank Darabont's 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption, which starred Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, is one of the highest-rated, best-loved films of all time. It was nominated for seven Oscars and won none of them. A tragedy, in my opinion.
So, like me, many people will be very familiar with the story of wrongly incarcerated Andy Dufresne, his inmate friend Red and their harrowing time at the maximum-security Shawshank Penitentiary. Any stage adaptation needs to tread carefully and treat these beloved characters and King's celebrated story with the respect they deserve.
Thankfully, the current UK tour of director David Esbjornson's play does just that. Set against Gary McCann's imposing cellblock-set, the all-male cast of The Shawshank Redemption presents a solid recreation of the prison drama come heartwarming buddy movie.
The plot of the play is the same as that of the book and film, with just one or two omissions to accommodate the constraints of a stage.
Andy Dufresne (Joe McFadden) is sent to Shawshank prison after being found guilty of the double murder of his wife and her lover. Andy is resolute in his claims of innocence, but his double life-sentence looms fixed ahead.
Openly intelligent, Andy is soon bullied by the warden Stammas (Bill Ward) into cooking the books. To add to his woes, The Sisters - a gang of predatory rapists - have taken a liking to him. When Andy befriends Ellis 'Red' Redding (Ben Onwukwe) - a man who can seemingly get his hands on anything - their friendship is his only escape and his only joy.
Brutal but beautiful
Set in Shawshank prison over a period of 20 or so years, Esbjornson's direction ensures that the audience are in no doubt as to the brutal conditions of the prison nor of the corruption of those in power. The cold, dangerous environment of the prison floor translates well to the stage here, and there are short bursts of music played between scenes that ground us in the time period but also offer us a few seconds of light relief.
The brutality and horror of this story can be overwhelming, but this is offset by the beauty of Red and Andy's true platonic friendship. Scottish actor Joe McFadden's Andy Dufresne is excellent. Calm, understated, and with a perfect American accent. Ben Onwukwe's Red acts as our narrator, and a spirited, charismatic one at that. So good is the performance from this genuine storyteller that I forgot that I was rooting for a murdering criminal.
Kenneth Jay's institutionalised librarian Brooksie is an unforgettable highlight, but there is strong support from the entire ensemble cast, who do a great job of breathing life into the many prisoners and guards of Shawshank and giving them distinct personalities.
This production of The Shawshank Redemption at the Glasgow Theatre Royal did suffer from uneven sound, which detracted from the quality of the evening. Some mics were too loud while others were inaudible, which is a shame because the script is full of sharp dialogue and comic moments, but too much of it, especially in Act I, was lost to the back of the stage. For that reason, I suspect this show would work better in smaller, more intimate theatres.
Slight tech issues aside, this is a successful and careful adaptation of one of Stephen King's best-known works. Fans of the book and the film should be satisfied that the play doesn't stray from the source material. With first-rate portrayals of the iconic central characters, The Shawshank Redemption delivers a timeless and uplifting message of hope, endurance and friendship. ★★★★☆
The Shawshank Redemption is at Glasgow Theatre Royal until Saturday, 28th March 2026. Tickets from https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-shawshank-redemption/
MORE: Read The Shawshank Redemption current UK tour cast announcement here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/the-shawshank-redemption-cast
