Why Am I So Single? - Garrick

Haha, is this more self referential social media awareness from this show, or just a quirk of the marquee lighting?

I've come to realise I want more "ick" in theatre.

The word is usually doled out on YouTube theatre channels where the "ick" means they've seen a behaviour portrayed that they don't want to allow or understand exists, however awkward and humanly real. Yet these 'ick police' are usually from a group (sexuality or gender identity) that was the mainstream "ick" for decades. How is that lost on them?

They put the ick in critic. ; )

"The ick" is more just that you find something a "turn off" or not to your personal liking. It's not about cancelling that thing. The word is just the way young adults express the things they don't really vibe with personally.

I saw this tonight and I agree with most that has been said by others on the thread. This is a long ramble, sorry.

To show my cards, I am a member of Gen Z and this is totally made for my generation. It's certainly aimed for the original Six fans that have now grown up and are exploring the world of dating themselves. Problem is, this audience just doesn't exist in the West End and this show is very specific to that audience. The Bee song is an example of that. It's tailored to Gen Z's irrelevant humour and slight ADHD tendencies. I don't get me wrong, this show could work great and be very successful, but off West End. It doesn't leave much for the 50+ and the tourists which is the main West End audience. This wasn't a problem for Six as it had word of mouth going into its run but just the creators names aren't strong enough to guarantee success here in a bigger house.

With my theatre hat on, this show left me the same question that Opening Night did (even though they are polar opposites on paper). That is: why did no one say that this has big issues earlier on in the process?

Do producers not understand young people that much that they let the creators of Six do their own thing because, after all, they created Six? Do the creators of Six think they are beyond fringe theatre after their global phenomenon (even though it would have drastically tightened up their new show and created a solid fanbase)? Did the creators of Six believe that unless they got a new show in the West End now they would fade into obscurity and so scrabbled together the most tenuous ideas for a show without a plot (as the show itself suggests with the character of the theatre agent)?

This could be a simple one act fringe show about two friends working out their relationship woes with catchy tunes and wine. Instead it's a overindulgent splat of stuff and needlessly meta to its disadvantage.

Remove the writing a musical part as it drags the show down. We don't care about it, we are never made to care about it. The show suffers from a terrible case of tell not show. Show me the consequence of not writing the show. Show me why she shouldn't go back with the ex. Show me the experiences that have led to insecurities surrounding gender and dating. But instead here's a man dressed as a fridge.

The cast is great, the score is pretty good and band plays it well. And there was a lot of decent material in here but I wish it was all decent material.

I just can't get away from the fact that they were handed a blank cheque in the Garrick to parachute this half-baked show in when there are so many other new refined musicals gagging for a West End space.

It's a 3* from me.

All this jargon (eg "ick", "Gen Z" etc) does make it hard for those unfamiliar with the terms to understand the posts. Things were easier when people simply said "20-somethings" - or whichever age group they did mean. I was interested in seeing this and still am but I'm not going to Google multiple terms to find out what they mean before reading posts. As for original fans of Six having grown up, I am one of those & in my mid-60s, so would like to think that I was already as grown up as I'll ever be when I saw it. Still seeing very positive professional reviews so the difference between those and the opinions of the paying public are puzzling.

I guess the production noticing they could highlight the 'ick' in 'Garrick Theatre' (as noticed by ceebee on the theatre facade) sends a nod of recognition to the bullseye audience. A kind of IYKYK identifier ('If You Know, You Know'), like gay polari or the more obscure bits of rhyming slang. Funny thing is that it doesn't exclude anybody who thinks they've just made the end of the word nicely colourful - UNTIL they find out it's a knowing sign. Then it's either delight at what they've done, or dread that it may be a painfully 'in' thing for a certain club of people.

It feels to me a new thing, this 'clubbable' marketing style - picking up from 'Operation Mincemeat' cultivating audience as early adopters (the fringe versions) and then as repeat-viewing Agents and co-opted advocates for the West End (on not-that-generous money off rewards). It turned me right off 'Mincemeat' - until I saw and admired the show (twice). 

On jargon - definitions of 'ick' vary a fair bit (particularly in how condemning it is/isn't in usage); but I appreciate posters here who refined what I'd assumed.

Where is this new lettering? I must’ve missed it when I looked up at the Garrick yesterday.

Quite agree that the decision to rush this to the West End will be its undoing. There is something strong here but needed a lot more workshopping.

I don’t blame Marlow and Moss for that either. Judging by the interview with the producer, it sounds like the producers were quite happy to rush it in rather than give it a try-out.

Fair play to the pair of them for going for something so… low key for a second show. If I had a phenomenon like Six behind and I was handed a blank cheque for my follow up, you better believe I’d have given you something ridiculous and rich.

Or a book writer.

Ah makes sense as I was facing straight on from the other side of the road rather than facing towards the Wyndhams. Shall keep an eye out next time!

One of the things Operation Mincemeat did once it came to the West End was have an experienced director in Rob Hastie direct it. It's interesting that Spitlip were willing to let the show to be handed over to someone else and help shape it to the show it is now whereas Marlow and Moss perhaps thought they didn't need anyone else aside from themselves to craft their new show.

Agreeing with the comment from @pineappleforyou :

"It will totally rely on word-of-mouth, which again, they could have got a head start on by opening off West End."

Even if a show doesn't technically need to start fringe or off West End in order to exist, the benefit of fervent early adopters who become advocates is so huge. Some shows feel built for that approach. It's a bit like record companies wanting the cache of their artist starting viral - whether true or a touch engineered to appear that way

Just seen it a second time, excellent! The only thing I’d say is the build up to Disco Ball is scrappy.