Fun Home - Young Vic

When I was picking up my ticket on Wednesday, a lady walked in just after me and asked if they had any returns and they said yes they had quite a few, so it's always worth asking on the day if that's possible for you.

false alarm, I was that person who rocks up a week early!!

Never been more embarrassed in my life...

I saw the matinee of this today. A very quiet show, with equally quiet performances, but beautiful nonetheless.

The writing is magnificent! I loved how the story was none-linear, and that the three different Alison’s were weaved in and out of each other. It was also nice at certain points to see grown-up Alison’s reaction to the action, and how her understanding of moments in her life had shifted and changed now she was an adult. It also added to the pathos of the piece, especially knowing the denouement from the beginning. The other brilliant thing about the writing was the balance of light and dark, of humour and drama. It could have quite easily become something self-pitying and very serious, but remained fresh and alive due to the comedy interspersed throughout, such as the Jackson 5-esque “Come to the Fun Home”, or Bruce’s comedy piano serenading Joan straight after Helen’s heart-wrenching “Days and Days”.

Jeanine Tesori’s music is not show-stopping or brash, but that is not what this show is. It develops story and character in a way that real musicals should.

The direction was equally exquisite, with one moment floating beautifully into another. It was also not afraid to have moments of silence and stillness, which were very moving when used. Despite not having had any of the same expierences as the characters on stage, I did feel a palpable emotional connection. Yes, in the bigger moments, where the truly life-changing events happen at the end of the piece (the last 20 minutes or so were emotional), but also in the smaller moments, when it was just Alison and her father simply trying to connect, if ever so fleetingly. I did feel a little choked up in the scene when Bruce sat down to try and teach her to draw in a different way. Throughout the piece, Bruce is constantly trying to connect with her, which makes him such a redeemable character for me, even down to the literature that he sends her. He clearly has known all along that she is “like him”, and is trying to help her find ways to understand it and come to terms to it, in a way that he never really could. His anger spills over from not getting to live his life the way he wants it, and ultimately seeing his daughter living it openly. It is refreshing to see such three-dimensional, complex characters in a musical.

I have to say that the use of lighting particularly caught my attention in this as well. It was used simply, but masterfully. How it was used in Bruce’s last number for instance will stay with me for a while.

If you want to see a masterfully written piece of theatre, you must see this before it closes. Hopefully a transfer is on the cards.

Is there to be a live broadcast?

I've heard pretty confident news of a transfer for this.

I would be amazed if this didn't transfer courtesy of Sonia Friedman. She has spoken before of being affected by/ attracted to work regarding the father/daughter relatonship. My guess is either the Wyndham's or Duke of York's in January.

So the hopes for a transfer for this have now been shelved.

Such a shame, but they just don't think it would have managed to attract the audiences needed to keep even a limited run going financially.

Race to see it whilst it's at the Young Vic or miss out.

We only heard this yesterday afternoon at the theatre.

We'll have to race to the finish and see who wins, Mark.

There will be a lot of free theatres in January and February so you have to wonder what *will* be filling them if stuff like Fun Home doesn't come in.

Also, it ran for 18 months on Broadway at The Circle in the Square. Why would it be so much less viable in the West End? It's a small cast.

Just returned 2 £10 tickets to the final performance at the YV for anyone interested. Go and grab 'em!