Title of Show. Book by Hunter Bell. Southwark Playhouse, London, 2☆☆. Review: William Russell.

Photo Credit: Danny Kaan.

Title of Show. Book by Hunter Bell. Music & Lyrics by Jeff Bowen. Southwark Playhouse, the Large, 77 Newington Causeway, London            

2☆☆. Review: William Russell.

“A dismal experience.”     

This so called love letter to musical theatre has been staged before here to some acclaim but this latest production beggars belief. An off Broadway show dates from 2004 and is showing its years. The plot, such as it is, concerns two young men, a writer and a composer played by Thomas Oxley and Jacob Fowler, who want to enter a show into a competition but have not having one need to create it. First they need a title and since they don't have a plot they opt ever so wittily for Title of Show. They then acquire two girls played by Abbie Budden and Mary Moore to join them after which we get lots of songs an, musical director Tom Chippendale, thumps out the tunes behind them more or less ignored. They are all miked but that still does not make the words come across as when one performs to an audience on three sides you do need to direct your voice all round the auditorium. Judging by the response it was the eople facing them who got whatever they were saying – or sort of singing - rather then those to the left and the right. The cast is personable, sings in the fashion of the day – which means they screech a lot and have crescendos whenever they can – well enough and convey the trials and tribulations of putting on a show with verve. Possibly it is in a theatre too big for its boots- it did enjoy some success at the original Above the Stage which was an intimate space -  but in the wider Large it was a dismal turgid experience – ugly set, badly directed sound, and four performers adrift delivering their lines. As a love letter to musical theatre, which it is said to be, this is one to bin on receipt.

Cast

Jacob Fowler – Hunter.

Abbie Budden – Heidi.

Mary Moore – Susan.

Thomas Oxley – Jeff.

Tom Chippendale – Larry.

Milissa Mcabe – Cover.

Cahir O'Neill – Cover.

Creatives

Director – Christopher D. Clegg.

Musical Director – Tom Chippendale.

Set Design – Hazel McIntosh.

Lighting Design – Alistair Lindsay.

Sound Design – Ieuan Watkins-Hyde.