The Last Five Years: A Lockdown Performance Review

Credit: https://www.instagram.com/lambertjacksonproductions/

This week has been chock-a-block with stagey screening this week: the National's streaming this week being the Bridge Theatre's brilliant version of A Midsummer Night's Dream (seriously go watch it!): The Grinning Man from the Bristol Old Vic aired on their YouTube (I'm hoping to see that later this weekend): and on Friday night, I had my ticket for The Last Five Years, a collaboration between Lambert Jackson Productions and The Other Palace. 

This one was a difference though to other filmed theatre - it has been filmed in lockdown, Zoom style, in the past couple of weeks! A good choice for a show that only features two actors!

This was the musical that threw Jason Robert Brown into the modern musical stratosphere, having premiered Off-Broadway in 2002. It features the five-year long relationship of author Jamie and actress Cathy, with Jamie's POV being told chronologically and Cathy's POV in reverse, with both POVs only meeting at one point of the story - their wedding.

It was of course a musical I had heard of, and I had heard some of the songs on EPOS, and as part of Jeremy Jordan's concert last year (he played Jamie in film version opposite Anna Kendrick); but not one I had never seen live before, so I was really excited about it. 

Credit: https://www.instagram.com/laurensamuels88/

Directing, and also starring as Cathy, was Lauren Samuels, best known on my end as a former Dorothy contender in Over The Rainbow, but who has also starred in Grease and We Will Rock You. I really related to Cathy a lot; Samuels did a brilliant job in making her incredibly human. Oh and her vocal chops - holy hell! From Still Hurting to I Can Do Better Than That and everything in between. 

Starring opposite Samuels as Jamie was Danny Becker, also excellent - but mate, sort out your décor choices! (that's one for any of the theatre whatsapp if you're reading)

 I'll be honest and say that while Robert Brown's music is lush, it isn't an album I want to download immediately and keep on repeat, like what Jagged Little Pill has been for me during lockdown (my God I want that show to come over here!). It's one that I think needs to be seen acted out rather than just playing on my ipod (does that make sense?). 

Nevertheless, please don't think I didn't enjoy this - far from it! The creativity and talent involved in bringing this to life is incredible. The last performance is Saturday, and I would highly recommend you getting a ticket if you're free tonight.