Review - An Evening With Jason Robert Brown (London Palladium)

For one night only, the three-time Tony award winning composer, conductor and pianist Jason Robert Brown presented a spectacular concert, filled with songs from some of his biggest musical hits, as well as one or two lesser known surprises. Joined by the BBC Concert Orchestra, and acclaimed stage stars Rachel Tucker, Betsy Wolfe and Norm Lewis, An Evening With Jason Robert Brown was a truly extraordinary evening.

Jason Robert Brown
Photo credit - Danny Kaan

Brown opened the show with a song from a musical he has yet to write, about a teen living in New York in the 70s, who dreams of being a musician. The song, a jaunty number named Melinda, had the audience's toes tapping, and gave Brown a chance to showcase not only his own characteristic vocals and supreme musicianship, but the virtuosity of the entire BBC Concert Orchestra, which bolstered the bubbly opening number wonderfully. 

Over the course of two and a half hours (and then some), the audience was treated to a whistle stop tour of Jason Robert Brown's career, which stretches back more than 30 years. Of course he may be best known for the seminal two hander musical The Last 5 Years, but lesser known numbers, and those from musicals which have yet to be performed in the UK, were a welcome treat, and gave the event a rather exclusive and intimate feel, despite taking place on the imposing London Palladium stage.

Rachel Tucker
Photo credit - Danny Kaan

West End favourite Rachel Tucker, who Jason Robert Brown described as "The Real Thing" having first seen her in The Last Ship on Broadway, treated the audience to a bittersweet rendition of Stars and the Moon, from the well loved song cycle Songs For A New World, and brought the house down with a disco infused number called Invisible. Brown recalled a few fascinating anecdotes about his career as the night progressed, including the story of how Invisible was written during a project at the Ronald Macdonald House, a place which provides temporary housing and support for paediatric cancer patients and their families. The story was a touching one, and the song's empowering message resonated even more deeply as a result.

A particular standout moment of the concert came when Norm Lewis and Betsy Wolfe dueted on One Second and A Million Miles, a heart achingly beautiful number from The Bridges of Madison County. Wolfe's refined soprano blended gorgeously with Lewis' mellow and emotive tones, creating a swelling sound which perfectly suited the gorgeous romantic song, tinged with sadness. Accompanied by a full orchestra, One Second and A Million Miles could easily have been the standout performance of the night, if it wasn't for Betsy Wolfe's second act showstopper; I Can Do Better Than That from The Last 5 Years.

Betsy Wolfe
Photo credit - Danny Kaan

Wolfe played the role of Cathy Hyatt in a 2013 Off-Broadway production of The Last 5 Years, which was subsequently immortalised in cast album form. Wolfe's belt was incredibly powerful, and her knack for storytelling through song shone through as she laid Cathy's woes bare. Jason Robert Brown got it right when he introduced Wolfe as "radiant". She truly glimmered on stage.

As a the host of the evening, as well as conductor, pianist and vocalist (although not necessarily all at the same time), Jason Robert Brown easily proved himself worthy of gracing the famous London Palladium stage. With an infectious nervous energy, he drew in the audience with a myriad of fascinating stories and a generous outpouring of excellent musical performances. His solo I Love Betsy, the opening number from the rather zany Honeymoon in Vegas, was surprisingly sumptuous, and cast a bright spotlight on the masterly Brown as a performer as well as a writer.

Norm Lewis
Photo credit - Danny Kaan

Of course, with so many excellent musicals to Jason Robert Brown's name, there were always going to be a few popular songs which were not included. It would've been nice to hear more from The Last 5 Years, and the opening number from Songs For A New World would've undoubtedly sounded amazing with such a strong quartet of vocalists and such powerful accompaniment, but the set list was packed with a great mix of numbers, and so a couple of popular omissions were understandable. 

It's a shame that several of Jason Robert Brown's musicals have yet to make it over to the UK, but An Evening With Jason Robert Brown provided a glimpse into his splendid songs and scores, and presented a great selection of numbers which had the majority of the audience jumping to their feet in rapture. Those who were not in attendance will be happy to hear that the concert will feature on BBC Radio 2's Friday Night is Music Night, but any similar events in the future should not be missed. 

Review - Honeymoon In Vegas (London Palladium)

The London Musical Theatre Orchestra have done it again! After the success of their last two musicals in concert, their track record is bolstered further by their most recent offering, Andrew Bergman and Jason Robert Brown's Honeymoon in Vegas. For the first time LMTO's founder and principal conductor Freddie Tapner offers up the baton to a guest maestro, and who better to lead an orchestra in a concert performance of one of Jason Robert Brown's most recent Broadway outing than the main man himself?

Maxwell Caulfield, Samantha Barks and Arthur Darvill 

Honeymoon in Vegas is nothing if not good old fashioned entertainment. Based on the 1992 film starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Nicholas Cage, it follows the exploits of Jack, a man haunted by the ghost of his marriage averse mother, as he tries desperately to pluck up enough courage to propose to his girlfriend Betsy. After an ill-fated game of poker sees Jack down $58,000, he's forced to offer up Betsy's company to smarmy gambler Tommy Korman in lieu of payment, but when Korman whisks Betsy off to spend a weekend in Hawaii Jack must do whatever it takes to win her back. It's a madcap romp featuring ghostly apparitions, shady henchpeople, and more skydiving Elvis impersonators than you can shake a stick at, and of course all of the adventure is tied together by the music! 

The London Musical Orchestra delivers a polished and professional performance in every respect. Made up of a combination of experienced orchestra members as well as passionate musicians in training, it's clear that the entire cohort share a passion for playing, which seeps naturally into the atmosphere. The dazzling orchestra perform with gusto, and are joined onstage by an exciting cast of West End vocalists, who help to bring the concert to life. In the role of Jack, Arthur Darvill proves himself yet again to be a real musical talent. After his high profile run as Guy in Once the Musical both on Broadway and in the West End a few years ago it's great to hear him performing musical theatre material again. Hopefully it won't be long until he's back on stage in a starring role once more. Meanwhile in the role of Betsy Samantha Barks is given ample room to show off her incredibly versatile voice. Shining in songs like Anywhere But Here and I've Been Thinking, she leaves audiences wondering if there is anything she can't do. 

LMTO's Honeymoon in Vegas also boasts a scene stealing supporting cast including Rosemary Ashe, who makes the most of her scenes as Jack's deceased mother Bea, Maisey Bawden as sultry Hawaiian guide Mahi, and Simon Lipkin, who doubles as a corny lounge singer and an overly enthusiastic Elvis impersonator. Lipkin brings down the house twice with the impressively sung When I Say Vegas as well as hilarious Elvis parody song Higher Love, in which he is accompanied by the entire male ensemble, who lip curl and hip thrust like their lives depend on it! 

It's such a treat to hear the music, and dialogue, of such an irresistibly joyful musical coming to life, if only for one night, on a West End stage. The orchestra's passion is contagious, the vocalists are first rate and it's such a thrill to see Jason Robert Brown conducting his own work. For musical theatre lovers there really is nothing else to rival the London Musical Theatre Orchestra, and with two further concerts lined up in the coming months there's plenty for fans to look forward to. Given how quickly they have achieved notoriety it's going to be a real thrill to see what other projects may be on the horizon. 

Don't forget to check out www.lmto.org for more information on upcoming projects

Review - The Last Five Years (St James Theatre)

The Last Five Years is perhaps composer Jason Robert Brown's most famous and beloved song cycle musical, ever since its 2001 off-Broadway run was immortalised on a cast album featuring Sherie Rene Scott and Norbert Leo Butz, songs such as Summer In Ohio and Moving Too Fast have been stalwart numbers in auditions and concerts all over the world. The musical's popularity was further bolstered in 2015 when Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick starred in a movie adaptation. As far as contemporary musical theatre goes, The Last Five Years is a must-see. 

Photo Credit - Scott Rylander 

The story charts the doomed relationship between successful young author Jamie and aspiring actress Cathy, and uses a unique structure to embellish the tale. While Jamie's scenes are told in chronological order, the audience first witnesses Cathy reflecting on the end of the couple's marriage after their 5 year long relationship. This clever structure reminds audiences that for each happy or triumphant moment there is an undercurrent of sadness and futility.  

If the opening line of The Last Five Years' wasn't 'Jamie is over and Jamie is gone' then the form would still immediately highlight the incongruity of the relationship, as the only time Cathy and Jamie share the stage is during their wedding day. At all other times they are completely separate from each other, thus constantly reminding the audience of the ways in which they are missing each others signs, and neglecting one another in order to follow their own personal ambitions and whims. 

Samantha Barks and Jonathan Bailey are exemplary in their roles as young lovers Cathy and Jamie. Barks is an engaging performer whose powerful and soaring voice effortlessly navigates Cathy's belty numbers such as I Can Do Better Than That and Climbing Uphill. meanwhile she brings a touching vulnerability to quieter moments and punctuates moments of silence with long lovelorn looks.

While Barks' Cathy is rather restrained, Jonathan Bailey bursts into his earlier scenes with boundless energy and an adorkable lovableness. He attacks many of his numbers in a controlled frenzy, puts on silly voices, emotes, dances and laughs with abandon, and is evidently the polar opposite of his sweet, witty yet reserved other half. Although his voice is not exactly that of a typical leading man's he injects songs with charm, and wins over Cathy (and the audience) through goofy numbers such as The Schmuel Song. It is heartbreaking therefore, to see his sleazy side develop, and the last couple of numbers are emotionally tiring tearjerkers as a result. In particular, the slow, languishing Nobody Needs To Know signals an irrefutably heart stopping revelation. The Last Five Years is an ultimately dispiriting musical, which Barks and Bailey navigate faultlessly from joyous to painful or vice versa, proving themselves pitch perfect leads. 

Nowhere is this perfection clearer than in the final scene, wherein Cathy tells Jamie Goodbye Until Tomorrow, while Jamie sadly reflects on the shortcomings of the pair's love in I Could Never Rescue You. Although the audiences has been privy to the entire relationship from beginning to end, there is still something in the way Cathy dreamily sings about her hopes for a future with her new love which gives the audience a sense of hope that maybe things will turn out differently, however much the inevitability of their incompatibility has already been established. It is therefore gut wrenching to see a rare moment of connection between characters in the musical's final moments, and there is no denying the fact that they are well and truly over. 

The musical battles with a number of universal emotions and ideas, such as ambition, rejection, longing and self doubt, which only serves to make each moment all the more affecting. Even more notable is the role gender plays within the piece, the young and ambitious man is rewarded with success and reaps the rewards of his skills, meanwhile the woman is subjected to cattle call auditions, where she is judged first and foremost on her age and appearance rather than her talent, and is chiefly concerned with avoiding becoming a housewife, and haunted by the idea that she may never be able to have the career she always dreamed of. The fact that this issue remains as relevant today as ever is extremely disheartening. For this reason it is impossible not to relate at least one of the characters at some point or another, and the intimacy of the two-hander in such a cosy space really helps to drive the poignancy home. 

The Last Five Years is an intimate story, and the St James Theatre is the perfect London venue to stage it at. That being said, the production is a little bit busy at times, and features lots of moving pieces, and somewhat superfluous screens, used only to give the audience an indication of location. The beauty of The Last Five Years is in its simplicity and therefore at times the production does feel a little bit fussy, however, for the most part the minimal sets and props are of no consequence.

The fact that composer Jason Robert Brown is the director of this production is very interesting for several reasons, not least because The Last Five Years contains some semi-autobiographical elements. Famously Brown based Jamie off of himself, and therefore his direction of this cast is also an exciting insight into the way in which the character was intended to be played. Despite this, it it Jamie who ends up coming off worse in the end, while Cathy remains a far more sympathetic character. That being said, Jonathan Bailey does his best to try and inject some likability into his older Jamie, and plays later scenes much less stony faced and cold than is often seen in productions of this musical. 

The Last Five Years is a musical which every musical theatre fan should see. Not only is it a modern standard, its influence can also be seen in countless new musicals today. With such an impressive cast, and a director who knows the piece better than anyone else, this is an unmissable production which will resonate on some level with everyone! 

The Last Five Years plays at London's St James Theatre until 3rd December. For more information and to book tickets, visit the St James Theatre website.

Album Review - The Last 5 Years (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

I'm trying to contain my excitement as I write this blog post. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, the The Last 5 Years film soundtrack has been released! The Last 5 Years (or TL5Y) is one of my favourite musicals. I find it incredible that a story so simple can be so devastatingly emotional and I'm ridiculously excited to see the film. Especially as the show is rarely performed here in the UK.

* Warning, this blog post contains a few spoilers, so if you're not familiar with the story or songs then perhaps do not read! *

The music of The Last 5 Years is exhausting, emotionally draining and so, so hard to listen to...in the best possible ways! For those who aren't extraordinarily familiar with the story of The Last 5 Years, it's basically the story of two people who were never meant to be together, and their 5 year struggle to try and make their ultimately doomed relationship work. The two people in question are Jamie Wellerstein (played in the movie by Jeremy Jordan, and originally played by Norbert Leo Butz), a promising young author, and Cathy Hyatt (played by Anna Kendrick, originally Sherie Rene Scott), an aspiring actress. While Jamie's story is told chronologically, Cathy's is told backwards, and as their journey's unfold, the audience can do nothing but watch with a foresight that the characters unfortunately lack!

Much the same as my post a few weeks ago about Memphis the Musical's London cast recording, here is a track by track review of this new release. Tissues at the ready...

Track 1

Still Hurting

Ahhhh, a masterclass in how to make yourself cry in 0.2 seconds! *Spoiler Alert* Jamie is over, AND Jamie is gone! I love the fullness of Anna Kendrick's voice. It sounds much more defiant than Sherie's voice, which was thinner here and gave more of a sense of defeat! With this song, the tearier the actress gets on stage, the better, but Kendrick's defiant tone works perfectly too.

Track 2

Shiksa Goddess

My favourite Jamie song from the musical. This is very different to Norbert Leo Butz's take on the song. Normally I like Jamie to come across as a bit awkward and nerdy in this song, as it is the first song that he sings at the beginning of the relationship. In the original stage recording I like the way Norbert Leo Butz plays Jamie like he can't believe his luck and he's in slight disbelief, while Jeremy Jordan sounds slightly more cocky and self entitled, which obviously still works but was unexpected. It'll be interesting to see how his characterisation of the role differs from other actors'.

Track 3

See I'm Smiling

Every bit of me wants for Cathy and Jamie to work things out during this song. I love how exasperated Anna Kendrick's Cathy sounds at the beginning. It makes her outburst at the tempo change ('you know what makes me crazy.[..]') seem more rational and natural! The way 'You and you and nothing but you' is given a whole new context in I Can Do Better Than That really makes that part painful here.

Track 4

Moving Too Fast

Probably the most famous song from TL5Y, I frequently thank the theatre gods for the sheer number of  musical theatre actors whose covers of this song are on Youtube! Of course, I expected nothing less than a perfect rendition from Jeremy Jordan, having already heard him on the soundtracks of Newsies and Bonnie and Clyde, the TV show smash and the film Joyful noise. He was, of course brilliant!

Track 5

A Part of That

Admittedly, I do find myself skipping this song normally. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it on this recording. Anna Kendrick takes you on a journey with her voice and I found my face pulling every possible expression while listening.

Track 6

The Schmuel Song

Not exactly a treadmill or cross trainer song, I must admit that while I do adore this song, I often skip it as well! However, I LOVE Jeremy Jordan's use of different voices for the characters of Schmuel/The Clock. I found myself giggling quite a bit! I have a feeling this bit is going to be amazing in the film. A rare fun moment.

Track 7

Summer in Ohio

I adore the easygoing sound of the ukulele on this track. It really is a hilarious song that I'm sure 99% of female vocalists have in their repertoire.  Anna Kendrick is excellent of course. I love everything about her voice!

Track 8 

The Next Ten Minutes

Anna Kendrick has the perfect voice for Cathy. It goes straight through you and makes the hairs on your arms stand on end. The 'I do's' are chilling and form perhaps one of the most heart-rending moments of the whole show, having already heard everything that comes afterwards from Cathy!

Track 9

A Miracle Would Happen/When You Come Home To Me

This is lot more talky than singy but it's still a great song and I just love Jeremy Jordan's voice! He's outstanding. Every tiny detail of his vocal performance tells you so much about his character. As I've said before, Anna Kendrick's voice is lovely in this moment.

Track 10

Climbing Uphill

As an aspiring actress, this song really resonates with me. Anna Kendrick nails the comedy and she sounds much less like a caricature that Sherie Rene Scott does. I LOVE the lyric change from 'why am I working so hard?/These are the people who cast Linda Blair in a musical!' to 'these are the people who cast Russel Crow in a musical!' What a burn! I adore Cathy!

Track 11

If I Didn't Believe In You

Another tearfest! I adore the way this song builds and the way that Jamie goes from caring and supportive husband, through passive aggressive selfish sulker, to outright meany, and back to supportive husband, all in the space of 5 minutes. It's a bit scary really, and I think it really makes audience think harder about Jamie and way he puts so much blame on Cathy, while never really admitting to his own wrongdoings. 'Don't we get to be happy, Cathy?' well I don't know about Cathy, but for the audience the answer is a resounding NO! Because we all know what's coming. Bring a box of tissues to the cinema with you. Not a packet...a box!

Track 12

I Can Do Better Than That

My favourite Cathy song and perhaps my favourite TL5Y song of all. When this was released early along with Moving Too Fast I had it on repeat for a whole evening so I'm pretty familiar with it. There's something addictive about Anna Kendrick's voice when she sings JRB's music. Her voice is noticeably less 'big and belty' than Sherie's, but both approaches work. I LOVE the coyness of the line 'very well placed tattoos!' People have complained about how autotuned she sounds, but I don't think she sounds autotuned that much, if at all. Although admittedly the rough contemporary tone to her voice is very different to Sherie Rene Scott's.

Track 13

Nobody Needs To Know

This song is beautiful, but such an uncomfortable listen. Cathy has just sung about her past disappointments, and how she and Jamie can do better, so It makes your stomach hurt and gives you butterflies, in a bad way, to hear Jamie singing this gentle song to the woman he's having an affair with. Jeremy Jordan sings the music of JRB with ease, he has such a beautiful voice and of course the lyrics are gorgeous but also make you very uneasy. It's incredible how just a song can make you feel such incredibly extreme emotions.

Track 14

Goodbye Until Tomorrow / I Could Never Rescue You

The most painful song in the whole show. Cathy is reflecting on her new-found love for Jamie, right at the beginning of their 5 year long relationship. It's heartbreaking that distance factors so much into the breakdown of their relationship, and here, right at the very beginning of their relationship Cathy is singing about how she cannot wait to see Jamie again after their last meeting. It's tiny, but it's the suggestion that right from the first moment, the pair were never meant to be together. The way the motif from 'I Could Never Rescue You' plays before Still Hurting, showing that the story has finally been completed, is the cruelest part of this whole score! Jeremy Jordan is stunning in I Could Never Rescue You. I'm still to this day not sure how I feel about Jamie as a character. It seems like he really loves Cathy throughout their relationship, but then he treats her so badly (not that she's a saint either). I really do ask myself just how honest I think he's being as he tells her he loved her before leaving.

All in all, having listened through this recording a few times while writing this review, I'm pretty sure it doesn't suck! I'm definitely in love with the leads, and having already fallen deeply in love with the story and songs, I would say that personally I've found it as close to perfect as can be! The thing about The Last 5 Years is that as cheesy as it may sound, you really are taken on an an emotional rollercoaster ride. Every song is like another layer of bandage on a wound that refuses to heal. It's ridiculously sad, and as the story moves on, although for the most part the songs continue to alternate between happy and sad, your knowledge of what is to come makes the happier moments at times ever more tragic than than the sad ones, and that is what makes Jason Robert Brown's The Last 5 Years so incredibly moving!