Have you ever wondered why despite your best efforts, the universe seems determined to make things not work out? Nancy (Leesa Tulley) and Oliver (Jo Foster) have decided to cozy up on the couch and open that very full can of worms and ask the age old question: why, despite my best efforts, am I so single? Ah yes, the very question that generally brings about a tearful moment of hatred and self-loathing. Well not this time. Although there were tears, they had nothing to do with self-loathing, but rather more to do with a genuine feeling of support and community. Complete with a vivacious ensemble, Nancy and Oliver bring us on a journey of self-reflection, only to discover that romantic and platonic love are a lot more similar than they thought they were.
Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’ new musical Why Am I So Single? could not be any more relatable even if it tried, tackling the deeper conversations connecting to both today’s youth and the older generations alike. Painfully hilarious and heartwarmingly catchy, this soundtrack is a breath of fresh air to what seems like a general monotonous sense of discomfort in the world.
Stand out songs such as C U Never, Men R Trash and the titular song, although despite the generally negative names, were the moments when the company acted as one, moved as one, and sang as one large harmonious group. This creates those classical feel good moments of clashing harmonies and beautiful larger-than-life movements (Ellen Kane). Whilst some of the songs may not be to everyone’s taste, this show clearly has something for everybody, from rapping moments to teary ballads, and frankly, the band led by Chris Ma is enough to make anyone feel good.
Foster and Tulley are joined by a vibrant ensemble, each with their own unique personalities. Whether that be whilst portraying a lamp or a trash can or a throw blanket (yes, literally), each had a set of distinctive traits, incredibly impressive considering they were literally inanimate objects. That far-fetched imaginative thinking goes far beyond the
realm of costumes and visual traits, as each cast member dedicated themselves to embody
(with some seriousness) the physicality of each object. The result was not only a bundle of
laughs from the audience, but a genuinely strong and satisfying feeling of self-confidence and joy from watching the cast perform with such a clear love for their craft. Who knew a trash can could make an audience feel so much?
This being said, it does feel as though the book could do with a bit of trimming, particularly in the second act as some places didn’t seem to quite match the general pace of the overall piece. Despite this, Foster and Tulley gave everything to their performances and clearly made a mark on the audience.
By creating such a modern and relatable show, Moss and Marlow have achieved something far greater than creating a unique experience for the audience with a catchy score and a hilarious book: they have given meaning to the joy of performance, and by extension, the pleasure of witnessing said joy. It truly is an amazing feeling, and well worth experiencing.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | photography by Danny Kaan
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