[AD – PR invite*]
★★★
One of my favourite things about the Edinburgh Fringe is getting to watch new musicals, as you get to see new writing sometimes quite early in its journey. When I found out that BL Productions’ ‘New York, New York’ was opening at theSpaceUK during the first full week, I couldn’t wait to see what this original musical was about. Whilst I thought it was presented beautifully and had some strong cast performances, I struggled with the decision to slot Leonard Bernstein’s music into this original storyline, which just didn’t fit naturally in my opinion.
About the show
Set in the Big Apple, the short musical follows old friends Bonnie and Joe who are reunited in the city after a number of years. They both come from Ohio, but Bonnie has been living in New York, failing to pursue a career as an actor. Joe has come to the city and is desperate to see the sights, but Bonnie wants to rekindle their friendship and catch up. Over the course of approximately 45 minutes we see the characters reconnect and potentially explore something more, with the narrative being told through a combination of dialogue and Leonard Bernstein’s timeless songs.
Musical revue or original musical?
It’s definitely a love letter to classic musicals and the excitement of Broadway, with the show packed full of incredible songs such as ‘New York, New York’ (On The Town), ‘Maria’ (West Side Story) and ‘Ohio’ (Wonderful Town). However, for me, when looking at this as a new musical, the placement and positioning of songs is jarring. At times I wasn’t sure if it was meant to be a completely original piece of theatre or an exaggerated comedy, with the new story intentionally written around Leonard Bernstein’s songs. If it’s the latter, I believe it needs development to make the show feel less like a musical revue and more a story in its own right. As it stands, there isn’t much of a narrative beyond the lyrics in the score.
Exceptional presentation
Whilst I wasn’t a fan of the use of Leonard Bernstein’s music, I have to commend the overall presentation and performance style. The material is brilliantly performed by Bradley Lomond and Casey Sewell, from vocal quality to the commitment to the choreography. It also really captures the excitement of old musicals and highlights why audiences fall in love with musical theatre.
A show for musical theatre fans
There’s lots to like about this show, but the material could benefit from clarity around what it is trying to be. If it is a celebration of Leonard Bernstein, I believe the creative team could certainly lean into this further and have more fun with the concept. You can catch ‘New York, New York’ in the Theatre 1 venue at theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall until 9th August. Performances start daily at 17:25, with tickets available via the festival’s website.
*My ticket for ‘New York, New York’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
Comments