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★★★★
Every once in a while a new show comes along that has you on the edge of your seat and this for me was ‘Before You Go’: a new musical by Jamie Jonathan (book) and Sam Thrussell. I had the pleasure of watching the production at Brighton Fringe this weekend and as my last show of the trip, I left the city on such a high, keen to hear what happens next for this beautiful production about love and loss. Similar in tone and musical style to ‘Once’, I was enthralled from the very first note and you could have heard a pin drop inside The Actors Theatre during the powerful performance.
About the play
It is a heartfelt romantic comedy centring on musician Mark (Seb Cridland) and love interest Jenna (Heather Porte), who first meet on an open mic night at their local pub. It is Mark’s first time taking to the stage and he is visibly nervous, so much so that when he takes to the microphone for the first note, I genuinely thought the staged microphone feedback was a technical difficulty in the theatre. It is this level of authenticity which is echoed throughout the performance, with every word, sound and movement feeling incredibly real and genuine.
After being sick as a result of the nerves, Mark bumps into Jenna in the ladies toilets: somebody who has lived in the area her whole life and is enamoured by his talent. They have an instant connection, despite each living with their own demons, and it is the start of a blossoming relationship. They bond over a dark sense of humour and stories of their own pain, gradually opening up to each other in the most endearing way.
Thoughts on the writing
I was deeply moved by Jamie Jonathan’s script and Sam Thrussell’s music. The writing is understated and carefully considered, perfectly balancing humour, very real feelings of hurt and a passion for life. Every time Mark takes to the microphone, the transition between spoken word and song is extremely natural, highlighting the harmony between the narrative and the score. ‘You and Me and Everybody’ is a standout musical number and I can only begin to imagine the impact this song would have on audiences in a larger performance space. It goes without saying that Seb is an exceptionally talented vocalist and musician, but during this song in particular, the effortless vocal tones reach new heights.
A show with a promising future
The Brighton Fringe presentation of ‘Before You Go’ feels quite early stage, in terms of the overall blocking and limited set design, but this new musical deserves a long and promising future. I had tears in my eyes at the end of the performance and that is proof of the power of the storytelling. The show has finished performances at the festival now, but I cannot wait to follow its future life.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
*My ticket for ‘Before You Go’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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