In the appropriately named Feel Good Club, there was an excited air of exception and anticipation to see how UMMTS were going to handle Jason Robert Brown’s entirely sung through The Last Five Years.
The musical charts the relationship breakdown of Cathy and Jamie, the twist being where Jamie’s songs follow a chronological order, Cathy’s regress back to the beginning. It was a brilliant show for the space and the complete openness, without a backstage and the band on stage played well into the atmosphere of the piece.
I must first congratulate the band who were the beating heart of the evening and instantly transformed the intimate space into the grand, busy world of Jamie and Cathy. There were multiple Cathys and Jamies and they were all wonderful. The casting worked beautifully as each Cathy and Jamie matched the style of the pieces they were singing so well. The gender swaps for A Miracle Would Happen with Erin Walfisz and Nobody Needs to KnowToluwani Idowu added a layer of complexity to both songs and created a sense of time falling in on itself, which The Last Five Years craves for. Walfisz brought a brilliant sense of masculine bravado that nicely turned the song into satire almost. Idowu’s velvet voice gave Jamie a sadness that heightened the sickening quality of the song.
There were some standout performances from Charlie Steggall who’s controlling anger and gaslighting disappointment in If I Didn’t Believe in You. When watching Steggall, I was suddenly so aware that we were only hearing one side of the conversation; there was such an intimacy he had with the audience that added to the tragedy of the piece. Elena Strachan singing A Summer in Ohio had such charm and charisma that watching her was spellbinding. Elise Lane as Cathy in both See I’m Smiling and Climbing Uphill carried such tragic sweetness in the mirroring of the songs and Lane’s style. Genuinely though, the entire cast was simply a delight to watch and the standard was breathtakingly high.
The creative team must be congratulated for bringing together such a wondering show where every individual’s passion for their craft came through exquisitely. Every audience member was absolutely enthralled from start to finish due to the commitment and dedication that was so clear.
The main issue that I think should be raised is that the musical is written through quite a sexist framework— Jamie’s life is exciting, forward-moving and has other things going on in it than just his relationship whereas Cathy literally regresses and her main character trait is that she is in love with this awful man.
I would not find this such a problem if UMMTS had not recently done a virtual production of The Last Five Years in 2021; I understand that this piece worked well in the space but it seems like an easy choice to me. Other works would have just as easily suited the space and with a cast as wonderful as the cast of The Last Five Years, they could have easily carried anything off with splendour.
The Last Five Years was a show that was overspilling with flair and a delight to watch. Once again, UMMTS have showcased how wildly talented their members are and I can’t wait to see what they do next.
The Last Five Years was on for one night only at The Feel Good Club.
Written by Ella Thrush
