Members of the University Music Theatre Society, not content with resting on their laurels after a tremendously successful spring production of ‘Into the Woods’ at the Whitstable Playhouse, are back once again this term with two events, the first of which is next week, ‘The Last Five Years.’
Jason Robert Brown`s emotionally powerful and intimate musical is about two New Yorkers in their twenties who fall in and out of love over the course of five years. The narrative follows Jamie’s story chronologically from start to finish, while seeing Cathy’s in reverse order; the two characters meet only once during the course of the show – at their wedding.
Director Lucie Nash, who’s also starring as Cathy in the performance, is very excited at the prospect. “”It’s a must-see for lovers of contemporary music or theatre everywhere,’’ she enthuses, ‘’a beautifully written musical with an unusual dramatic twist.’’’ Anyone who saw the Society’s production of ‘Into the Woods’ (reviewed in a previous article here) will remember Lucie’s scene-stealing appearance as the Baker’s Wife in the highly accomplished production of Sondheim’s musical last term.
Alongside Lucie as Jamie is the excellent Richard Simpson, a former member of the University Chamber Choir last seen in tremendous form as the Baker in ‘Into the Woods’ last term, whilst the musical direction is once again in the assured hands of conductor Adam Abo Henriksen, who also oversaw the musical side of the Sondheim at the Whitstable Playhouse.
The performances are on Wednesday 30th May, Thursday 31st May and Friday 1st June, all at 8pm, in Darwin Lecture Theatre 3, Darwin College, University of Kent, Canterbury.
Tickets are a mere £5, with all profits in support of the Dogs Trust; find out more on their Facebook page here.
There will be a final flourish from the entire Music Theatre Society on Saturday 9 June, when it returns to the Gulbenkian Theatre for ‘There’s No Business Like Show-Business!‘ as part of the University’s Summer Music celebrations (details online here), under the direction of Lisa Crowhurst. Catch them if you can!