Then, Now & Next - Southwark Playhouse

[Mark]

Wasn’t too taken by this the other night. The performances are overall excellent (and a particularly shoutout to Julie Atherton for standing in, she was wonderful), but the musical numbers never really let go and allow the cast to flourish. They are all very “generic musical theatre songs” that I feel I've heard a thousand times before. I found the non-linear storytelling very confusing and it was difficult to determine the plot lines at times. That said, there are some good laughs, and I overall had a nice evening.

[annette]

Jul 8, 2023 8:46:38 GMT Mark said:

Wasn’t too taken by this the other night. The performances are overall excellent (and a particularly shoutout to Julie Atherton for standing in, she was wonderful), but the musical numbers never really let go and allow the cast to flourish. They are all very “generic musical theatre songs” that I feel I've heard a thousand times before. I found the non-linear storytelling very confusing and it was difficult to determine the plot lines at times. That said, there are some good laughs, and I overall had a nice evening.

I agree about the generic feeling of the songs. I can hear Adam Gwon JRB and Craig Adams in there to name but a few in some the songs.
I actually found it dreary rather than moving and had very little empathy for any of the characters such as they were. Better work on the script to give us a clearer insight into who these people really are, rather than just musical theatre ciphers would have been an improvement.
There was nothing about it that kept my attention from wandering fairly early on in the proceedings - never a good sign.