REVIEW: The Last Five Years at the Southwark Playhouse

The Last Five Years at the Southwark Playhouse received rave reviews with numerous 5-star ratings flying around, with the Southwark Playhouse being a breeding ground for incredible revivals there was no doubt in my mind that this one would live up to the reviews it received, and it certainly did! 

Following a couple, Cathy and Jamie, we watch the journey of their relationship unfold on stage but in a very unique way. Cathy's side of the story is told backwards and Jamie tells his from beginning to end. Similar to that of Merrily We Roll along, of which I personally am not a fan of, this form of storytelling is used wonderfully in this piece. 

Only familiar with a couple of the songs (bad musical theatre fan!), I was really interested in seeing this piece in its entirety. The use of Cathy's story being told backwards was such a powerful tool in the storytelling, as it unfolds you understand the pain and hurt but also, as they’re told separately, begin to form your own opinion of what you’re seeing. 

Being a huge fan of Jonathan O’Boyle, his work on this musical certainly does not disappoint. There is so much in this piece that is so thorough and detailed that this review could easily be a 27-page analysis. But I won’t bore you, all I have to say is see it for yourself. 

REVIEW: Sunset Boulevard at The New Victoria Theatre, Woking

Following on from Sunset Boulevard’s smash-success run at the ENO, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s much-loved musical has been touring the UK with a magnificent 16 piece orchestra. We follow struggling writer, Joe Gillis, on his quest to create a movie script which will get his name in the Hollywood history books. On his way, he meets Norma Desmond – once upon a time, a Silent Screen starlet, whose light is somewhat fading as films in Hollywood progress. Desperate to launch her return to film and fame, she shows Joe a screen-play she has been developing: a mish-mash mess about Salome – in which the aging Desmond plans to play the 16-year-old lead…. Needless to say, the plot doesn’t sit too well with Gillis, so he agrees to work with Desmond to re-write the screenplay and launch her return to the industry. In time, their relationship becomes blurred and Desmond begins to emotionally blackmail Gillis, threatening suicide and damnation if he leaves her. The story escalates and climaxes with a series of dramatic eventualities at her home, 10086 Sunset Boulevard. 

As Norma Desmond is Ria Jones, who made headlines when understudying Glen Close at the ENO in the same role. I had the pleasure of hearing her sing at the WhatsOnStage Awards last February and she received a full standing ovation after just one number. In Sunset Boulevard, she is utterly compelling and gripping as Norma. The power of her performance came from deep within her. Her eyes were so expressive that her inner monologue was almost audible. “As If We Never Said Goodbye” is one of my all-time favourite Musical Theatre songs, and the version I heard last night is my new definitive rendition. Moving and emotionally harrowing – it was perfection.