Tonight, Adam and I decided to get busy livin’ and went to review The Shawshank Redemption at Forum Theatre Billingham. We are both huge fans of the film (who isn’t? It’s a classic!) and we were really looking forward to it, and goodness me what a phenomenal show!

For those who don’t know, The Shawshank Redemption is a tale of Andy Dufresne and his enduring hope in the bleakest prison in Maine, a fact which is hammered home with an excellent set design. The cast are never not surrounded by the intimidating cell structure even through the seamless transitions into the warden’s office, leaving us with a dramatic tension which would make us feel at home in one of Stephen King’s horror films, never mind a stage show adaptation of one of his novellas.

Whilst few may be familiar with King’s Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, by now most will have seen the iconic film starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in the titular roles. When a performance is so ingrained in your head you worry if it can be replicated but praise has to go to the casting director who has put together a team that can tell this story with an amazing depth and sincerity (and most of them even nail the American accent!)

Soap stars Joe McFadden and Bill Ward are brilliant in their roles as Dufresne and Warden Stammas respectively, but it is Ben Onwukwe’s standout performance as Red that will leave you with goosebumps as he weaves the story together in a role he really excels at, having gained critical acclaim for the part in 2016 (and again in 2026 by us!) The three are also joined by a brilliant supporting cast and altogether, tell the story so well.

A gripping tale of hopes, fears and friendship portrayed perfectly on stage in those 2 and a bit hours. A truly exceptional show that you don’t want to miss!  

The Shawshank Redemption is at Forum Theatre Billingham until Saturday 21st March 2026, with limited tickets still available here. 

*We were gifted 2 tickets in exchange for this honest review. Thank you to Forum Theatre for having us down.