I LOVE YOU BECAUSE. To 20 October 2007.
London
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE
music by Joshua Salzman book and Lyrics by Ryan Cunningham.
The Landor Theatre 70 Landor Road SW9 9PH To 20 October 2007.
Tue-Sat 7:30pm Mat Sun 3pm.
Runs 2hr 30 min One interval.
TICKETS: 020 7737 7276.
www.landortheatre.co.uk
Review: Geoff Ambler 26 September 2007.
Feeling good musically in South London, with love, loss and an albatross
This is a musical dealing with the fortunes of four twenty-somethings, moving on after break-ups, and because of this it is, of course, set somewhere near Avenue Q, in a more puppetless part of New York. I’m now firmly of the opinion that young people in all other parts of the world go about their relationship trauma without recourse to song and dance and what fun they are missing out on, because while Because may lack depth, it packs in humour, frivolity and coffee-shop fun and does it so very well.
The book focuses on a completely unmatched making, following a blind double-date between brothers Austin and Jeff, played by Daniel Boys and Richard Frame, with two friends Marcy and Diana, Jodie Jacobs and Debbie Karup. Almost OCD Austin, recently dumped and wallowing in his loss, follows his rigid routines and struggles with writing a "poem poem" yet his double datee, photographer Marcy, is a free spirit, delighting in random coffee and her search for The Right Man.
While these may be an unlikely pairing, nice but nearly dim Jeff and sexy, self-assured actuary Diana stretch the imagination yet further. However Because is a feel-good musical and it’s not unheard of for musicals to test the boundaries of real life love, or at least lust.
Supporting the named participants in this loves story are NYC Man and NYC Woman, covering a multitude of waiters, bar staff and stage hands. Mark Goldthorp and Lucy Williamson provide seemingly endless scene-seguing bursts of humour, coffee, shots and angry Chinese table waiting.
Ryan Cunningham and Joshua Salzman's work is mostly witty, funny and when required, beautifully earnest. Robert McWhir’s neat production, never hampered within the Landor’s stage, makes full use of Andy Edwards' impressive and adaptable NY set. Even the opening choreography is delightfully compact.
Daniel Boys is enjoyable to watch, with a powerful vocal brilliance and when teamed with an hilarious Richard Frame, makes a regular comedy double act. Debbie Karup is, as always, a delightful presence in any musical; Jodie Jacobs brings passion and depth to the show and I had the feeling that she was opening in the Landor as though she was filling one of the large WE stages with her voice and unconventional energy.
Austin: Daniel Boys.
Marcy: Jodie Jacobs.
Jeff: Richard Frame.
Diana: Debbie Karup.
NYC Man: Mark Goldthorp.
NYC Woman: Lucy Williamson.
Director: Rob McWhir
Costume/Costume: Andy Edwards.
Musical Supervisor/ Arranger: Iain Vince-Gatt.
Choreographer: Robbie O’Reilly.
2007-10-01 16:26:19