Christopher Lavender and Bethan Boxall play the lead characters. Photograph by Peter Mould.

The Last Five Years

Regular and enthusiastic theatre-goer Samantha Shulver reviews The Last Five Years – the musical running at the Stables Theatre until Saturday night.

On Monday I went to see a local piece of theatre. OK, so I may technically be cheating here because I was actually operating lights for the tech dress rehearsal for The Last Five Years, on at The Stables Theatre and Arts Centre from 17 to 21 September. However, you bet your bottom dollar if I could get tickets on the nights I won’t be operating then I would.

It was funny, heartwarming and beautifully performed, I fell in love with them and their story! Making their Stables Theatre debut in this production, I was so drawn in by the actors’ portrayal of their characters that it was such a joy to see in the magical intimate theatre setting that The Stables offers.

The funny and animated Cathy Hyatt, played by Bethan Boxall, with her emotional complexities and self-doubt around her chosen career in acting, now playing out in her marriage, complemented and fuelled by the charming Jamie Wellerstein, played by Christopher Lavender, who is not quite able to deal with all the temptations and trappings that comes with his early success as a novelist, and being married!

My favourite songs had to be Shiksa Goddess, Moving Too Fast and The Schmuel Song by Jamie, and Still Hurting, Climbing Uphill and Summer In Ohio by Cathy. Oh heck, they’re all fab!

Their quirky storytelling at each milestone of their journey, presents their own thoughts played out as solos and sung with conviction. With a live four-piece band, led by Lesley Olivia van Egmond, the musical leads you down intertwined paths of love and despair, with Cathy starting at the end of their story and Jamie at the start, meeting in the middle at the point they get married, singing together The Next Ten Minutes, crisscrossing to Cathy ending at the beginning of their story and Jamie ending at the start. It was just truly very special indeed! So only one thing to say really, get your tickets now to avoid disappointment!

Once those curtains go up, be prepared to be taken on an intimate musical deconstruction of a love affair and marriage!

Book your tickets from The Stables website before they all sell out.

If you’re a solo theatre goer who maybe doesn’t like to go alone, then drop a comment below, maybe we can meet up at a future show.

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