Heartbreak. The universal experience. Tony Award-winning Jason Robert Brown’s 90-minute two-hander musical The Last Five Years is about this very thing – the complications of a 5-year relationship and the heartache that follows. It is painfully and beautifully articulated, as anyone who’s been through it will attest to.
It’s the story of Jamie and Cathy, told forwards and backwards at the same time. Cathy from the bitter end, Jason from the thrilling beginning, and somewhere along the journey they meet in the middle for a brief moment, before propelling onwards.
Though a two-person musical might sound like a breeze, this particular one is no easy feat for performers Christian Charisiou (Jamie) and Elise McCann (Cathy). Both give nuanced, heartfelt performances and enjoy a nice chemistry, even though most of the time they’re singing in isolation. Charisiou charms in his Christmas jumper and energetic rendition of ‘The Schmuel Song’ and McCann delights in ‘Climbing Uphill’, while her ‘Still Hurting’ plucks hard at many a heartstring.
Both do well to maintain a connection to the other when for most of the show their backs are turned. A sparse stage and solo pianist (musical director Daryl Wallis) mean the brunt of the work is up to them. Director Elsie Edgerton-Till’s decision to keep them circulating in different orbits (literally, as evidenced by set designer Michael Scott-Mitchell’s individual mini revolves) creates a multi-level disconnect, that between performers and again between performers and audience.
Robert Brown’s songs perfectly capture the intricacy of complications in a relationship, with very real, very flawed human characters. The songs swing from wildly funny and exhilarating to poignant and achingly sad. This production has stripped it bare, leaving space for the songs to soar. It’s a heart-wrenching musical, and if it’s on your bucket list don’t miss this chance to see it.
Alana Kaye – Theatre Now
All photos by Phil Erbacher.
