The cast really is the standout for this show, they’ve brought together a phenomenal collection of talented actors to tell this story. Keith Allen is brilliant as Malcolm the evil manager; he is a disgustingly sleazy man who will stop at nothing to make his money. Keith really brings this character to life and works wonderfully with Jodie Steele as his assistant Beth. I do feel Jodie is underused in this piece though, having seen some of her previous roles I think it is a real shame we do not get to see more of her talents with her only being given 1 chance to shine with the song ‘Die at 27’.  

The music and lyrics by Grant Black and Murrary Lachlan Young are clever and though provoking, they have been carefully crafted and do well in helping the storytelling over the course of the evening. In particular ‘Museum of Loss’ is a powerhouse of a song – performed incredibly by Mica Paris and Maiya Quansah-Breed. A heart-warming moment comes in ‘Ordinary Girl’ where Oscar Conlon-Morrey brings to life ‘Phillipa’ and performs this beautifully with some fantastic dancing and a voice that brought tears to my eyes.  

Director & Choreographer Gary Lloyd has done well staging this piece in an unusual setting. The decision to play it in the round makes sense given the space limitations, it does however mean that some audience members miss out on key points of the action, with lines being lost and at time only half an audience hearing a punchline while the other half are left wondering what they missed out on. If this show is given further life, I feel a more traditional staging would greatly benefit it as the writing is brilliant so it’s a shame some of it is being lost.