The Last 5 Years - St James Theatre

Well, the prices are stupid, but the show is well worth a visit if you can swing it. I'm trying to figure out if I have any spare organs to sell on the black market so I can afford to go back later in the run.

For a first preview it's in good shape, even if it did start half an hour late. JRB came out at the start to tell us that the actors were ready for us but the set might not be (cue much laughter), and it's true that there were a couple of set mishaps: some falling paper, a missing bench, a door that wouldn't open properly etc. Nothing unexpected for a first preview. There may have been some sound issues, a couple of lines were a little quiet and it seemed that Jonathan was having trouble hearing the band at the start of The Next Ten Minutes.

Samantha Barks ... what a voice. Of the two, it's clear that she's a more accomplished singer, but I thought her acting was fine for the earlier songs and she really came into her own later on. Both Climbing Uphill and I Can Do Better Than That were very funny and got a great reception, and by Goodbye Until Tomorrow I was just about ready to burst into tears from her utter hopefulness. She was also really lovely afterwards.

Jonathan Bailey is not the soaring, effortless tenor who's often cast as Jamie, but his voice is solid enough (and will improve over the run, I'm sure) and I didn't feel his overall performance was any the less for it. He's ridiculously charming and engaging, and a fantastic actor. He played his first couple of songs to several individual audience members (at least that's how it looked from the back row) to much laughter. There's a lot going on in those staging-wise (possibly too much), yet he made it look easy. I Didn't Believe in You had me welling up - it's always been one of my favourites and he didn't disappoint. For the shallow-minded among us: A) the beard has gone and B) he's just as gorgeous close up.

I noticed a couple of lyric changes. I Can Do Better Than That: "Met a guy in a class I was taking with some very well placed tattoos." (which I think I've heard before), If I Didn't Believe in You: "Is it just that you're disappointed to be touring again for the summer?" was changed to a specific reference to Ohio, I can't remember the exact line. Oh, and the Linda Blair reference in Climbing Uphill was David Hasselhoff.

And as an aside, I do find it amusing that they have an advert in the program for their cocktail offers, with a notice saying remember to order your interval drinks before the show. Oops!

Oh dear, I appear to have written a mini novel. That's what happens when I have a slow train home and I've finished my book.

And I almost forgot - it was lovely to meet Anthony and sondheimhats and talk theatre with you both. :-)

Edit: I've just remembered the thing that irritated me (probably more than it should have). No idea whether it was an oopsie for today (fingers crossed, since he did then have it for the rest of the show) but Jonathan wasn't wearing a wedding ring for A Miracle Would Happen. If you've got a lyric (and accompanying gesture) that draws attention to it, you really should have the ring.