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A musical
yearning
to be heard The Last
Five Years Lichfield
Garrick Studio ****
JASON Robert Brown is not well known this side of the pond. For someone
who is arguably up there with Sondheim in terms of lyrical ability, it's
about time we stood up and took notice. The Last
Five Years follows a
relationship between two aspiring, New York creatives - one a
writer, the other an actress. An often tread storyline, it could be
said, but what makes this so different is the unconventional time
structure it uses. Jamie, the writer, has his
story portrayed chronologically whilst Cathy, the actress, has her story
shown backwards - from where she is to where she was. They meet slap
bang in the middle of each other's journey - at their wedding. A clever,
almost Tarantinoesque, way of showing the passage of time. The studio space at The
Garrick lends itself well to this very personal piece of theatre. There
can be absolutely no doubt that some things work better in a small space
where subtleties and character nuances are not lost, A musical two
hander such as this is a perfect case in point. Facial expressions are
seen, emotions are clear and sound clarity is crystal clear. Kellie Humphrey as Cathy is a
delight. She sings technically well - hitting light and shade when
needed and always with cut glass diction. What impresses more, though,
is her ability to nail down a broad range of emotions and reactions -
excited, smitten, frustrated, funny, angry - using facial expression and
body language to good effect. So often in musical theatre, acting takes
second place to big voices and lavish routines. It really shouldn't.
When good voices and strong acting combine, the result is all the more
truthful and real. Oliver Rowe is the
impoverished writer, Jamie. He is chasing a dream that doesn't
always sit well with a new and blossoming relationship. Inevitably,
something has to give. Rowe delivers well, especially in the slower,
more heartfelt numbers. He also cries to order - no easy feat but
proof he is ‘feeling' the lyrics. The small, onstage band are
faultless throughout - doing perfect justice to a clever, whimsical
score. An independent Director, able
to sit and watch from the front, may have helped to tidy up bits of
staging but in general the piece flowed well from scene to scene. Jason Robert Brown deserves a
far bigger audience in this country. He is without doubt one of the best
modern day musical theatre composers and his lyrics are beautifully
woven together. This production, too, is worthy of much more than a half
full studio. Tickets are available. I
suggest you snap them up now before Mr Brown becomes the hot ticket he
really should be. Tom Roberts
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