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★★★★
A last minute addition to my schedule for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe was new musical A World Apart from theatre company Frog in a Pot Productions, consisting of creatives Samantha Lauren Martin and Amelia Jutilane. Inspired by Jutilane’s real life experience, this musical centres on two childhood friends, Kate (Martin) and Alice (Jutilane), who are both turning thirty and are at totally different stages in their lives. The characters grew up in Perth, but career opportunities in the arts led Alice to move to London and Kate stayed behind, marrying her childhood sweetheart and recently having a baby. The contrasts between their lives are explored in this new musical, with the company cleverly showcasing the relationship between two friends living on opposite sides of the world in the same performance space.
Lyrical and rhythmic
Both the dialogue and lyrics are highly rhythmic, utilising spoken word to introduce a musical quality to the exchanges between the friends and the sharing of their innermost thoughts. It is a great way to establish the identity of the piece, following a different approach to other new musicals. The rhyming sequences also provide additional information on the characters, allowing the audience to really get to know Kate and Alice.
Score and musical performances
From Alice’s initial song about living in London to various reflective numbers that illustrate their current tribulations, there is lots to like within this original score. A couple of the numbers are melodically similar, but the witty and detailed lyrics ensure that these remain unique. Both Martin and Jutilane have strong voices independently, but it is the harmonies that take the music to the next level. The pair perform to pre-recorded tracks and this doesn’t have the same energy as if the music was played live, but it’s Fringe and in the grand scheme of things, it has a minimal impact on the overall enjoyment factor. The final anthem ‘A World Apart’ is a highlight, showcasing the impact that this friendship has on the characters.
A celebration of friendships at the Edinburgh Fringe
As somebody who recently reflected on the end of my twenties, I am definitely this musical’s target audience and it is a really relatable and refreshing piece of theatre. The pulsating nature of the piece is also highly innovative, offering something unique in the Musicals and Opera category at this year’s Fringe. You can catch A World Apart at Amphitheatre at theSpace @ Symposium Hall (venue 43) until 29th August (not 16th and 23rd). Performances start daily at 10:35 until 15th August and then for the remainder of the run performances start at 10:45. Tickets are available via the festival’s website.
*My ticket for A World Apart was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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