★★★★★
Two actors. One relationship. The Last Five Years at Garrick Theatre is seemingly simple. The twist, however, is the musical’s unique narrative form: Jamie (Oli Higginson) tells the story chronologically, while Cathy (Molly Lynch) starts at the end of the relationship and works backwards.
It’s this uniqueness that has made this play so beloved since its debut in 2002. I fell in love with the musical’s soundtrack three years ago, but even with this prior adoration of the material, I wasn’t prepared for just how much the London production would blow me away. This new staging—first seen at Southwark Playhouse last year—is bold, fresh, and intimate, breathing new life into this modern classic.
A big part of the play’s beauty is its simplicity. The piano is the main set piece, only joined by a few piano stools, some small movable props, and three large lights at the back, shaped in the initials of the show’s title. This staging never feels lacking, and is used in such a way that it is not just the setting of our show, but is of huge narrative importance. It demonstrates the cyclical form of the narrative: the opening number begins with Cathy sat at the piano whilst Jamie leans over her to play the melody; the show closes with Jamie sat in the same spot, but with Cathy leaning over to play the final notes. It also helps us understand each character’s emotional journey. One brilliant example of this was in the song ‘A Part of That’—as Cathy tries to convince herself that she has had at least some part in her husband’s success, she adds just a few notes on the piano, while Jamie plays the main melody. The turntable on which the central piano sits adds movement and fluidity, and acts as a helpful reminder to the audience of story’s direction; moving clockwise as the relationship moved forwards, and anti-clockwise as we travelled backwards.
However, in a show like this which is such an intimate character study, it all hinges on the performances. Thankfully, Higginson and Lynch were born to play these roles. As Cathy, Lynch starts the performance conveying her desperation to hold onto her relationship, before smoothly transitioning into a warmth and playfulness that was so inviting. Opposite her, Higginson was so charismatic that you can’t help but understand Jamie’s success, while being just smug enough that when he’s unfaithful, you sort of expect it. There are only three duets in the show, and yet, their chemistry was so palpable and intimate it was as if they’d been singing together the entire time.
Another aspect of this production that makes it so special was the choice to have both Jamie and Cathy on stage throughout. It helps to emphasise the distance between them and the fact that the failure in their relationship is due to their inability to truly see each other. It also reiterates just how talented this pair are, and their stamina as performers. Of course, it would amiss to not mention the incredible pit band, who make Jason Robert Brown’s notoriously hard score sound like easy pickings.
Every part of this production was utilised so carefully to paint the picture of Jamie and Cathy’s relationship. I could not feel more honoured that the creative team chose to share this sensational production with the world.
The Last Five Years is playing at Garrick Theatre in London until 17 October.
Words by Rehana Nurmahi
Support The Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.