The Story of My Life by Neil Bartram & Brian Hill. The Stage Door Theatre, Drury Lane, London until 19 October 2024, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

Photo Credit: Peter H. Davies.

The Story of My Life by Neil Bartram & Brian Hill. The Stage Door Theatre, Drury Lane, London until 19 October 2024,

5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

“Practically perfect.”

This Broadway musical, a flop there, opened her at this room above a pub theatre in the West End when I was away to a deluge of four and five star reviews. It was clearly one to collect to see what all the fuss was about so I went to the closing night. Hill, who wrote the book, has created a very moving story about friendship between two small town boys and how it is tested over the years. He uses reference to George Bailey and Clarence a lot to great effect as the successful Thomas has returned to deliver the eulogy for his friend Alvin who stayed in the town working in his father's bookshop and has died falling off a bridge. There was, it seems, no Clarence in his life to save him. But as Thomas struggles to find the words Alvin appears to set things straight. The result is a moving tale of friendship and how Alvin has been the inspiration for the success Thomas has enjoyed as a writer with his stories of small town life. Director Robert McWhir has kept the ninety minute show flowing briskly and finds thing for them to do while the two players – Markus Sodergen and Thomas and Tim Edwards as Alvin deliver pitch perfect performances, and play with one another rather than do their individual thing which can often happen in such circumstances. They are both actors who can sing and singers who can act, not as common a combination as one would think. At the final curtain Sue Pollard, who is the theatre's patron, said it deserved to transfer to the West End – in fact it already is there – but chances of that are remote. Neither actor would put bums on seats, which is vital at any time, and there are really no small theatres into which it would fit – in the average Shaftesbury Avenue theatre it would be swallowed up and die. Here it has been done as well as it possibly could be done. There is a clever set by David Shields which gives the actors space to interact and the small orchestra under Aaron Clingham perform Neil Bartram's score splendidly. It is tuneful, and also has songs which allow both actors a chance to do what a musical demands – stand there and sing out to the audience. So, given it has more than enough four and five star reviews already, and given how good it is there seemed no alternative to doing something I have never done before and never will again. Give it six stars. Like Mary Poppins it is practically perfect in every way.

Cast

Marcus Sodergren – Thomas Weaver.

Tim Edwards – Alvin Kelby.

Creatives

Director – Robert McWhirr.

Musical Director – Aaron Clingham.

Designer – David Shields.

Lighting Designer – Richard Lambert.

Costume Designer – James Huckle.