Murder Ballad

As promised, here's my review of the indie rock musical, Murder Ballad! The minute I had heard who was in this show, I knew I had to get tickets as soon as I could! Seriously, how could I miss seeing 4 of the greatest West End actors on stage together in a show about passion, lust and a murder most foul? So, will this  indie musical be so sexy that it gives RENT a run for its money, or is it just gonna kill me inside for the wrong reasons?
Murder Ballad
Starring: Kerry Ellis, Ramin Karimloo, Norman Bowman, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt

A love triangle set in New York, this murder mystery focuses on the rebellious downtown Sara (Kerry Ellis), her dogged-nice-guy uptown husband Michael (Norman Bowman) & bad boy ex-lover Tom (Ramin Karimloo) along with the Narrator (Victoria Hamilton-Barritt) who frequently interacts with the characters. While having a bout of depression from monotonous years of married life & being a mother, Sara & Tom rekindle their love as Michael struggles to help his wife. All of this of course leads to a mystery of which of the 3 lovers will die at the end & how (not exactly a spoiler given the title & it's mentioned at the beginning).

A brand new production of the 2013 off-Broadway show, this really is a much more character driven piece. From the summary of the plot alone, it's easy to tell that it's very simple. While not bad in the slightest given how relatable it can be, it's also admittedly a double-edged sword as it can get up to the point that it's cliched. From the get-go it's easy to predict what's going to happen, although you could argue that it's intentional & it didn't stop me from being intrigued with what plot thread would come next. Undeniably sexy (not as much as it's been built up to be admittedly), it helps that the characters themselves are interesting rather than being one dimensional cardboard cutouts. They can all have their inner demons throughout and while their actions are undoubtedly questionable, it is understandable why they do what they do. I'll explain a bit more once I discuss the characters/actors, but what I'm trying to say is while the story may seem cliched on paper, the execution is definitely what saves it from being boring or tedious.

The visuals in this are really minimalist. Rather than using elaborate sets to portray New York, this would rather use very limited props with tables, chairs, boxes & a duvet & pillow for the characters to use, similar to the off-Broadway production all being set in a bar. It does incorporate video projections of either locations, images to convey atmosphere or to show Sara & Michael's daughter, Frankie. While it may have been a bit difficult for me to understand what was going on during certain parts because of the limitations, it wasn't up to the point that it ruined the experience for me. Although given the fast pace up to the point that the actors get changed on-stage, it does sort of make sense in the context. And hey, if at any point it gave the excuse for Ramin to take his shirt off, that's fine by me!

Rather than relying on visuals, this musical prefers to let the music and actors tell the story. The 4 main actors (the only actors who appear other than 2 swings who occasionally appear) are each phenomenal in their roles as they give these stock characters dimension. The incomparable Kerry Ellis was especially a stand out as Sara as while she easily could have been portrayed as a pariah who takes her life for granted, she gives her much sympathy as she struggles with giving in to her lust for her old life through Tom's free spirited & rebellious nature while staying dutiful to her loving husband. Norman Bowman's Michael, while appearing perfect on the surface as a poetry enthusiast, still has his own demons after he realizes Sara isn't as happy as she could be in their marriage & what he could do to help her. Of course, Ramin was ideal casting as Tom. As a bit of a cad who convinces Sara to bring back the good old days, Karimloo shows a controlling side to him while not portraying him as a complete monster. While they (and for that matter Ellis & Karimloo) have such smoldering chemistry that would make them seem like a perfect match, it's clear Sara knows how toxic their relationship really is. Although, this admittedly gave me Phantom of the Opera flashbacks given that they pretty much play the same role as a seductive yet incredibly possessive man who pines for a woman who has fallen for another...Victoria Hamilton-Barritt was equally as interesting & entertaining as the smarmy Narrator with her husky voice and reactions to what was going on without feeling too intrusive on the narrative.

The musical numbers all stand out, with witty lyrics and cleverly metaphorically comparing the plot to a pack of cards. Going for an indie rock genre, it helps both drive the plot forward & express how the characters are feeling. Instead of coming across as pretentious or distracting, they feel natural and fit very well with the manically fast pace. Entirely sung through with absolutely no spoken dialogue, it's incredible how much stamina the actors have to be able to sing so flawlessly in this 90 minute show. Hearing them all sing rock compared to your typical broadway sounding musical numbers all the more showed that they all have a very wide range. And given that Ramin also has a background in indie/rock music with his former band The Sheytoons, it just felt to good see him finally perform in this genre for a show and he clearly felt right at home singing it.

Murder Ballad is a sexy, provocative and surprisingly deep show. Filled and ear wormingly catchy indie rock songs, a creative set and phenomenal performances from such incredible actors, this REALLY is something worth watching for those in need of a more...adult musical or something quirkier than the average West End show. And given that Lin Manuel-Miranda of all people went to see it recently, that just shows how good of a show it is! But if I were you, I'd get your tickets fast because this closes on December 3rd!
Rating: ****

And yep, I did get to meet all four actors after the show and I must say, they're all so lovely! Seeing THE Kerry Ellis in person was incredible after and seeing Ramin again after five long years and how much success he's had since then really was an eye opener for me. And funny enough, before the show started, a few of us waiting for our tickets got quick glimpses of Ramin and Norman coming in through the cafe as they headed in to get changed for the show.

The Last Five Years

I know I haven't done nearly as much reviews as promised a few months ago. But given that I'm back in university near London and my course does require some London outings/ 'inspiration' for my writing, I've got a hell of a lot of shows to review which I've seen recently. And this includes: Murder Ballad, Aladdin, In The Heights, Phantom of the Opera 2016 cast and Les Miserables 2016 cast. Thank fuck I have a photographic memory. But this isn't why I've written today's post, it's rather what I saw yesterday, the new London production of The Last Five Years. Based on composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown's failed first marriage (up to the point that his ex-wife sued him. Yikes.), this has slowly but surely gained a small yet growing following since its off-Broadway debut back in 2002 starring Sherie Rene Scott and Norbert Leo Butz.

The Last Five Years
Starring: Samantha Barks, Jonathan Bailey
Director: Jason Robert Brown
The musical tells the story of aspiring actress Cathy (Samantha Barks) and writer Jamie (Jonathan Bailey) as we see the details of their five year relationship in differing timelines. From Cathy's perspective it goes backwards from their split to when they first met and for Jamie it goes forward vice versa. Throughout we get to see the events from both sides and question who was to blame for the marriage deteriorating and whether they were in fact doomed from the start.

While incredibly simple in terms of writing, the execution of this typical boy meets girl story is really what makes it interesting. With a timeline that's unlike anything I've seen for a show, it's cleverly used to emphasize the character growth and development from both sides of the spectrum. Seeing Cathy go from bitter and heartbroken to optimistic and hopeful and vice versa with Jamie really helps this ideology of an unbiased point of view as we'd slowly see why the relationship didn't last. While it'd initially be easy to pick sides of who was to blame for the split, Brown goes extra lengths to show that it's more of a balance as they both can be portrayed as narcissists when the time comes because of their differing career routes. However, that doesn't mean they're unlikeable because it's easy to see why they act they way they do. They're just being human. As there are no other characters shown onstage, this really helps the strongest aspect: the emotions. Jason Robert Brown knows when to let the emotions speak out, especially during songs like See I'm Smiling, Shiska Goddess and the finale as he cleverly juxtaposes the two timelines. The fact that the songs themselves are solos for Cathy and Jamie also adds in a sense of ambiguity as to what the other is saying at that moment and it really shows how well the actors can handle the material, which I'll get to in a moment.

The simplicity can also be shown in the production design. With no need for glitzy special effects or massive sets to showcase New York, it rather goes for a more intimate look with simple yet effective lighting and basic props, akin to the story's own intimacy. Alongside brief uses of TVs to show either apartment or car windows, the scene transitions also help make it clear of whose side we're seeing and when. This can also help with the emotions as they'd go for bright and energetic during the happier moments of the relationship like in Moving Too Fast while using darker lights to either create a sombre or intimate atmosphere like in the opening number I'm Still Hurting. The costumes also help with the realistic aspect of the show, rather going for more modern yet quirky look to reflect the character's personalities and still making them feel like real people.

But obviously, given how demanding the roles are, the actors need to carry the entire show forward and in this production, they both succeed perfectly. While essentially having to act with thin air except for two cases, they both really bring the characters to life. Samantha Barks as Cathy really brings out her frustrated and emotional side as we see both the strains of being married to a successful writer and wanting to be her own person as an actress despite never-ending rejection. She can still have her funny and sarcastic moments to compensate for her troubles, still making her a relateable person, especially shown during her inner monologue in Climbing Uphill. This is definitely not saying that Bailey was the lesser of the two as he really had his stand-out moments, bringing out Jamie's funny, idealistic and charismatic sides in full force. Without a doubt his best moment was the Schmuel Song, being a mix of everything on top of showcasing Robert Brown's smart word play in the lyrics. But I cannot get into the acting without mentioning the signature duet, The Next Ten Minutes. The only time that the timelines interconnect, Barks and Bailey's chemistry was blazing was incredibly heartwarming to watch, making it all the more sadder that the characters' marriage ended so badly.

Directed by Jason Robert Brown himself, the musical numbers themselves all stand out. I do admittedly have a soft spot for folk music akin to Once, but they still fit the mood and setting Brown was going for. With witty lyrics almost reminiscent of Sondheim's work, they all help show the audience how Cathy and Jamie are feeling during their own timelines, especially Climbing Uphill for Cathy and If I Didn't Believe In You for Jamie. They are all memorable & stand out very well on their own, with Barks and Bailey's renditions definitely adding a punch to the proceedings full of energy and emotion. And as for which one is my favourite...all of them! They're all that well done, I can't actually think of a favourite.

The new production of The Last Five Years is witty, charming and surprisingly honest thanks to the beautiful music and phenomenal performances. Taking an age old boy meets girl story, the innovative storytelling gives it a refreshing yet emotional twist as we non-judgementally get into the heads of both Cathy and Jamie. With no need for glamorous sets to move the plot along, the simple production design also enhances the honesty of the show and its portrayal of a real relationship will undoubtedly bring tears to anyone's eyes. And given how much the audience was applauding throughout, I have a feeling this musical will grow in popularity in no time.
Rating: *****

And before anybody tells me, yes I am fully aware of the 2014 film adaptation starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan! Now we've got that out of the way, as a special treat, I'll be doing a stage vs screen post comparing the two of them!
And as an added bonus for my comeback, I did have a mini reunion with Samantha after five long years from seeing her back in Les Miserables. Come to think of it, it is strange how fast those last five years have gone compared to where I am now...