Romantics Anonymous Review: performed at the Bristol Old Vic

Credit: https://www.wisechildren.co.uk/productions/romantics-anonymous

September has been quieter than I expected - I didn't meant to leave it another month before I did a review I promise... I was supposed to write about Three Kings. After the many delays, sat down to watch it... and fell asleep halfway through... I was THAT exhausted I fell alseep! So I didn't think it was fair to write about it... ooopps 😬

But I'm not here to analyse my crime against Andrew Scott (I am so sorry!), but talking about the complete opposite. We're heading to Bristol again for a LIVE performance headed up by Wise Children, in collaboration with many different theatres across the country. This is the musical Romantics Anonymous, based on the French/Belgian film Les Émotifs Anonymes, a film I don't think I saw during my uni days. 

Just like The Grinning Man (ironically another one from Bristol), this is a show that I have heard about a lot through word of mouth, but didn't get chance to see when it was running at the Globe in 2017. It then held a run at Bristol's Old Vic earlier this year before Ms Rona destroyed everything. 

This production is reuniting a lot from that run for a LIVE streamed performance.... Yes you read that right! The cast have been living in a bubble for the past few weeks and with regular testing etc, have been able to stage the show COMPLETELY LIVE as it would have in the distant past - including holding hands, hugs and KISSING!!!! Ambitious indeed

A show staged in Britain, set in France.. and I am currently blasting out Japanese music.... Let's see how this goes.... 😅

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

Romantics Anonymous follows two young people who both share a passion for chocolate (don't we all!). Angelique is a expert chocolate maker who cannot speak when other people look at her and who attends Les Émotifs Anonymes (think AA for socially awkward folks). Jean-René has been taught the very straight and narrow by his father; now as the owner of a failing chocolate factory, he is just as socially awkward. When Angelique gets a job at the factory selling Jean-René's chocolates, she aims to turn the struggling business around with *dun dun duun*, a new recipe - all the while both of our precious leads start to fall for each other. 

This musical version has been written by Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond, with a book by Emma Rice, Wise Children's Artistic Director. You can tell immediately that both the music and book have major Amélie vibes. Obviously with it being set in France, but it also has the same emotions, as well as the whimsical and cute charm about it. To compare it to another show, it also reminded me of Flowers For Mrs Harris. So bring your tissues and chocolate.  It has the kind of tone of a warming mug of hot chocolate on a cold evening - seems perfect to air just as it officially becomes Autumn. 

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

While not a comedy necessarily, there were still plenty of moments that made me laugh: especially the "follow her" scene. How they staged that was brilliant! Yes the main tone is charming and whimsical, but I felt I did need to highlight that it SHOULD get a laugh or two out of you. 

Not all the charm of it was in the music - just like you need to add more ingredients to make cocoa into smooth chocolate, it needs great performances to bring the words to life. The cast was headed by Carley Bawden as Angelique and Marc Antolin as Jean-René, both of which were excellent. I loved how believable they made these characters; both made me laugh and want to reach through the screen and give these cinnamon-rolls a huge socially distanced hug. 

But I must also mention the ensemble who each played many many parts, sometimes switching from one to another in 30 seconds flat! Among them you may recognise Sandra Marvin (who recently played Becky in Waitress), and Gareth Snook (who you may recognise from Les Mis 10th and Phantom 25th Anniversary Concerts).

Oh and even more impressive - how did their singing voices still manage to sound so beautiful and pure despite eating so much chocolate every night...! 😱😲 

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

If you are able to see this, depending on the region of the UK you live in, the absolutely give Romantics Anonymous a chance! Each performance is partnership with theatres in a different region - as I live in the North, I saw the Tuesday performance - my theatre friends, many of whom live in the Midlands, are watching this as I am writing....

If they are able to hold another run when we can have some kind of normal again, this show is on my list of ones I would like to see on stage. To quote Forrest Gump, it was like a box of chocolates; didn't know what I was going to get but was very happy with what I got - like a giant bag of Cabury's Caramel Nibbles... 😋 Only thing missing is a cast recording. I don't know if it exists yet but CAN one come out... I need it!

To get tickets to Romantics Anonymous, click here: https://www.wisechildren.co.uk/productions/romantics-anonymous

All I have to say is... 

Je Suis Émotif!