Music & Lyrics: Adam Gwon
Director: Karl Steele
Reviewer: Christine Stanton
“Endearing & Uplifting“
4 / 5
New York – busy, fast-paced and full of interesting characters living their lives in the big, sprawling city. Adam Gwon’s endearingly likeable musical focuses on four of these people whose lives cross paths at the Met, subtly changing their trajectory for the futures.
Claire (Melisa Camba) and Jason (James Edge) are taking their relationship to the next stage and are moving in together. Her apartment struggles to find the space to let him in, but can the same be said for her heart? Warren (Aidan Cutler) is enthusiastic and filled with positivity, a stark contrast to the impatient and highly-strung Deb (Dora Gee) – the two polar opposite strangers bought together Cinderella style, after he tracks her down to return her partially finished thesis when he finds it on the train. Told in a series of musical numbers, the show highlights the beauty and hope in otherwise ordinary situations.
The storyline on paper is relatively mundane – a student struggling to find her place in the world, a couple stumbling through various obstacles as they progress in their relationship and an aspiring artist who yearns for connection. But although there aren’t any major twists or revelations, the beauty is within the characters themselves, their complexities and interactions believable and relatable, filled with heart. Hyper-focusing on these every day, often overlooked moments within each character’s lives becomes incredibly intimate and allows the audience to connect with them in a way that would be impossible if the plot was steeped in drama and intensity.
The intimacy is further reflected in the staging – aside from the ‘Singing in the Rain’ style umbrellas hanging from the ceiling, the main props are a series of plain boxes that are rearranged and assembled to depict various settings, such as a gallery bench and the back seat of a taxi. The live musical accompaniment of a single piano amplifies the interactions alongside the enjoyable song lyrics. With the seating wrapped around the stage, the characters often interact directly with the audience, either with a throw away comment or by sitting directly next to them at points, further immersing them into the scenes.
Each of the talented performers complement each other well, Camba and Edge’s emotional coupling is touching, with ‘I’ll Be Here’ a strong musical number that tugs at the heartstrings. Cutler, who has a wonderful voice, is fabulously engaging, his scenes with the excellently comedic Gee a complete joy to watch, their contrasting characters creating brilliantly charged chemistry during each of their interactions.
These may be ordinary days for each of the characters, but the snapshot into their everyday lives is beautifully intriguing and uplifting.
Runs until 27th April 2025
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