Zaffré The Empire: 'Wonderful. A lifelong love letter to the theatre' Reverend Richard Coles

Michael Balls writing is like his singing and very entertaining

I have been a huge fan of Michael Ball since I was 13 years old and heard the song Love Changes Everything. I am a massive musicals fan so have followed Michaels career avidly and seen many shows/concerts of his over the years. So when he dipped his toes into the waters of novel writing, I was ready and waiting. Wasn't lucky enough to get an ARC but got both the hardback and the audiobook (which he read himself, big bonus points there, his voice is angelic) So, the book! They say write about what you know and Mr Ball knows the theatre. Set in the Roaring Twenties, against the backdrop of a glorious old theatre hall, The Empire is a dazzling performance of romance, showbiz, mystery and intrigue. A combination of the glamourous and wealthy with the hardworking and lower class makes this a fabulous journey. I was a bit overwhelmed in the Overture (Prologue) as these were just bite sized snippets of MANY characters and I was getting lost with the sheer amount of different people involved and who was related to whom or where did they fit in. However, once we settled into the main story, things started to make sense and follow along quite nicely. I believe there is a sequel due next year. I am on the edge of my theatre seat already with anticipation

Since so many reviewers have summarized the plot of The Empire so nicely, I thought that I might give a different view of the book here. As a writing teacher, let me take you on a journey through the structure of this book that is so much fun to read. It is one thing to have a wonderful idea for a story (and this is a very good story) and another thing to put it into words on a page. Michael Ball is a man of words, and he knew just how to create a story that was easy to read and easy to understand the total world that is, indeed, theatre. In the opening of any story, it is essential to set the scene. The reading audience needs to know where we are and who we are with at all times. Through the eyes of Jack, we learn that the world of the stage has three distinct parts: the Physical building, which houses the magic; the Artistic and Production teams, who create the magic, and Show Business, the money behind the magic. As Jack experiences all of the this so do we. Once this is set up, we move around rather nicely in the theatrical world. This is a long story with many arms and legs to it, but even so, the plot was not so complex that I got lost. I never had to reread pages to see if I had missed anything. I never felt that anything was left out inadvertently or deliberately. The use of chapter breaks, of course, helps here; however, even within the chapters themselves through the changes in the descriptions, the changes in the characters, and most especially, the changes in tone, it was apparent that I was moving forward in the story not in circles. The story does have its predictable moments but, in fact, they play out just exactly the way we want them to play out. Writing is a series of choices. One of the most important choices that an author makes is the language in the piece. Michael made the theatrical world very accessible to us by choosing words readers can readily understand, and when needed, used either characters or descriptions to define any theatre-specific vocabulary. (Of course, as an American, I had to look up two pages of British slang to understand some words even though, I was pretty sure that “mizzle” was “drizzle.” That’s okay – I love all words.) The characters are, by far, the greatest joy in The Empire. In true Dickensian style, Michael gave us a large collection of players to care about and/or dislike. Most of the characters have both distinguishing physical characteristics and personality traits that make them easy to spot. Once drawn and unless they are changed because of the plot, the characters behave as we expect and want them to behave. Some are stereotypical by design, and some are based on stock theatrical characterizations. Best of all, they are an interesting blend of high (upper class) and low (working class) character types. Therefore, their interactions make for a lively read. With all the skill that it took to create the above, the most surprising thing of all about The Empire is Michael’s willingness in a first novel to address contemporary problems. Problems in1920s England (and America, I may add) are issues that have continued until today. Women’s equality under the law was an explosive topic during the early 20th century. The Empire tackles this problem in the strong female characters whose hands are tied by tradition and the mistaken idea that women cannot act, think or function on the same level as men. The women of The Empire are more than up to the task of proving that theory wrong. The character of Billy Barlow brings the increasing mental health dilemma to the surface. For too long, the illnesses of anxiety, depression, panic, and mental hopelessness have been pushed under the rug. As readers, we can understand and accept the pain and fear that the old fish fryer feels when he reveals his past experiences on the stage. Finally, the trauma of war is explored in the characters of Jack Treadwell and Danny Moon. Both men are reluctant to discuss their experiences, but in the wanning chapters of the book, the physical and emotional scars of being in battle are exposed. It is with the gentlest pen that Michael constructed Danny’s character in particular. At this point in the novel, we are made to come to grips with the sad reality that many go into battle as one person and come out of battle as someone completely different. While these are not extensive views of the problems, they are present, nonetheless drawing our attention to them. This was a bit of a risk and I admire Michael for taking it. I loved the book. It was a great read that taught us about the entire world of the theatre and made us think a little about the issues facing us today. I so look forward to the sequel where I can return to The Empire and learn more about that world and maybe even more about my own world as well. Bobbie Costa

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I tried to read it slowly, but I couldn't. It's a real page-turner. This book should be on the reading list for any college freshman's introduction to theater. (If you're in the U.S., keep dictionary.com handy.)