The Last Five Years, Garrick Theatre, ★ ★ ★ ★

When I first heard the music of Stephen Sondheim, it took a few repeated soundtracks to truly fall in love, and admire his musical language. But with musical theatre composers such as Jonathan Larson and his show Rent or Jason Robert Brown’s 13, The Last Five Years or Songs for a New World (equally passionately idolised by musical theatre students), I’m still trying to find that passion, to include them in my favourites memory box.

So when the opportunity came to revisit Jason Robert Brown’s two-hander, about a failing relationship between a husband and wife over The Last Five Years of their married life, I jumped at the chance. Originally staged at the Southwark Playhouse for two sold-out seasons in 2020, it has now transferred to the Garrick Theatre, for an ‘extremely limited run’ of four weeks. This glossy flyered production held high expectations. It was also re-staged to coincide with the annual celebration of all things musical at Trafalgar Square, the annual stagey soirée of West End Live, a stone’s throw from the theatre. 

I knew I’d seen another production of this piece, years ago, but I couldn’t remember where or by whom. Whilst queuing to enter the theatre, I suddenly recalled a production by the students at the Guildhall, back in 2010. Leading that production was a newly graduated Freddie Fox.

As expected, the Garrick was impressively full, with a predictable majority of young students. We were introduced to a soundscape of a busy urban city, most probably New York. Revolving on stage, under a circle of blue lights, was a grand piano, teasing the musical feast that followed.

The show started with a series of effective and dramatic flash-back snapshots, introducing us to Cathy (Molly Lynch) and Jamie (Oli Higginson). Lit up behind them were three impressive tall initials, L5Y, covered in hundreds of bulbs. Not only was this an illuminating production, but clearly an electrifying expensive one too. 

With a clever book and lyrics, revealing Jamie’s story from the start of their relationship to its end, while Cathy’s story is in reverse. It’s a lovely idea, especially as we build-up and then backwards, towards the collision of their paths. There  were beautifully captured moments like when Jamie opens an empty bracelet box, ready to show his fiancé, while she ends his song, by replacing the bracelet, rather than receiving it. What ties the two stories together is the grand piano, which allows the other muted partner to mimic accompanying their partners song. Another clever number was Cathy’s audition for a job as a singer, deconstructing from the final finished stage performance to the nightmare of the first audition. 

I’ve always believed you need to see a solid, credible production of any show or play, before you can  judge the merit of the material. I learned this from an early age after witnessing horrendous productions of the Shakespeare plays, which can put you off for life, missing out on the brilliance of the Bard. This is also true of musicals, and I can honestly say, with its mesmerising portrayal of the passion and heartbreak, along with their perfect diction and delivery, this is probably the best production I’ll ever hear and see. Lavishly supported by a live band that embraces their emotional journeys through their passionate playing, this is a production that will be hard to forget. 

The same attention-to-detail and praise must be given to the direction and overall designs of the show, from the set to the lighting, the soundscape and movement. An ironic successful marriage of material and masterful decisions, which shows off the best qualities of the piece.

But as I left the theatre, the only melody that stayed in my tired head was Stephen Schwartz’s Corner of the Sky from Pippin, which I’d heard at West End Live, earlier in the day. So I’d finished where I started, pretty much like Cathy in the show. A very memorable production but a mediocre unmemorable score.  This left me with another problem;  how many stars to assign?. If it was purely for the look and feel and delivery of this production, then I’d happily give five stars. But unfortunately, the score and my overall enjoyment which lapsed a little with the last five songs, I could only manage a meagre three. So I’ll be kind, and meet them in the middle, awarding a safe shiney stagey four stars.

The Last Five Years, Garrick Theatre,  ★ ★ ★ ★