THE LAST FIVE YEARS Actor-Musician Production on BroadwayHD

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 5/22/21 at 4:39pm

Anyone see this version from the Southwark Playhouse in London? This was not on my radar until last week when it announced a West End Transfer.

I wasn't really crazy about it. I love the show, and a production where Cathy and Jamie alternate accompanying each other on the piano is a genius idea, but the concept is so half-baked in this production. You have a "real" pianist in the pit playing the bulk of the part, while the actors mostly play simplified accents, usually with only one hand.

I love Jason Robert Brown's music because it's so percussive and physically demanding to play. You watch him perform live and he throws his whole body into his songs. His music is so well-suited for an actor-musician show, and this production robs that physicality from the score, making the two actors playing the piano kind of pointless.

The performances weren't that great either. Molly Lynch was flat in a lot of songs, and her acting was kind of hammy, even for a character who is an actress. Oli Higginson was the better singer and piano player, but his performance lacked a lot of depth. With his wind swept hair and ruffled untucked tuxedo shirt, he looked more like a member of NSYNC rather than a neurotic romantic who becomes blinded by fame.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 5/22/21 at 6:50pm

I’ve been meaning to watch it. However it should be noted that the idea of Jamie and Cathy accompanying each other on the piano isn’t new. There was a highly praised Chicago production that did that a few years ago, and I imagine it’s been done elsewhere as well. It’s an interesting idea, although I imagine finding two performers who fit the characters and are equally excellent at acting, singing, and piano playing is tough, especially considering how infamously difficult JRB’s piano arrangements are.

[charlie525600]

Posted: 5/22/21 at 10:15pm

A lot was lost in the recording - I saw the show live right before Covid shut things down and it was magical. Molly Lynch (and her understudy?) were out sick so they'd pulled in another actress who wasn't off book and couldn't do the piano pieces and yet I was still extremely impressed by the production!

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 5/23/21 at 3:01am

The real question is why they are still called Broadway HD Updated On: 5/23/21 at 03:01 AM

[binau]

Posted: 5/23/21 at 5:01am

I saw it live and found it quite moving because if I recall it was the first show I saw after the pandemic began. However, I can’t help but feel the west end transfer and filming etc. all have happened as a result of opportunities caused by COVID rather than there being anything particularly special about the show, production or cast. It’s just not the kind of show/production I’d feel needs to/should go any further than its original mounting.

[willep]

Posted: 5/23/21 at 2:42pm

imeldasturn said: "The real question is why they are still called Broadway HD"

Yeah! And why is IMDb still called IMDb?!

[gypsy101]

Posted: 5/23/21 at 4:42pm

willep said: "imeldasturn said: "The real question is why they are still called Broadway HD"

Yeah! And why is IMDb still called IMDb?!"

aren’t they still a database for movie information on the internet?

[willep]

Posted: 5/23/21 at 6:10pm

And aren’t there Broadway shows on BroadwayHD?