A Brief Encounter: A powerful musical with lasting impressions

I loved A Brief Encounter.

Accurately described as a “beating heart of a musical for incurable romantics”, the two-hour show ran like a well-oiled machine, choreographed to a tee with hilarious and heartfelt performances and renditions of Noël Coward’s (whose original play inspired Emma Rice’s hit adaptation) original songs from all the cast. 

Set in the 1930s we follow the star-crossed love affair of housewife Laura (Hannah Azuonye) and married doctor, Alec (Baker Mukasa) after their chance – brief – encounter in a train station tea room. Azuonye and Mukasa do a brilliant job bringing to life the raw gravitational bond between the two characters leaving the audience almost able to see the string of fate that makes it so hard for the lovers to pull away from each other. Told over several months, we watch as the bittersweet relationship between the two deepens as it heads towards its obvious ill-fated end. 

Director Sarah Frankcom had a clear vision for the musical which was excused in an incredibly polished manner. The exceptional storytelling and performances on stage were enhanced by masterful staging and immersive set design that makes full use of the Royal Exchange Theatre’s rotating round stage.

The other cast members easily match Azuonye and Mukasa’s performances, balancing heartfelt moments with humorous wit to the audience’s continuous amusement and overall enjoyment. A particular favourite moment for me was later on in the second half of the show when a tongue-in-cheek remark was made about the leading couple in Romeo and Juliet.

It was in a similar tone that the rest of the show carried out, with the humour never cheapening the ever-deepening tumultuous love of Laura and Alec. The concurrent love stories of the other characters worked well in their intended purpose of juxtaposition: smooth sailing courtship against bittersweet forbidden love.

A particular stand-out performance for me was that of Christina Modestou, who not only brought to life each role she played but truly won me over with her powerful rendition of Noël Coward’s ‘No Good At Love’. Similarly, Ida Regan wowed me with her range, smoothly jumping between characters and belting out songs incredibly. This is, of course, not to downplay the talents of Mathew Allen, Georgia Frost, and Richard Glaves who all not only stood their own but enriched the musical, rounding off a truly stellar cast.

Mention must also be made for the live jazz band that accompanied the musical, consistently creating the perfect atmosphere to keep the audience enraptured in the scenes playing out. Matthew Malone as Orchestrator, Musical Supervisor, and Musical Director did an outstanding job of leading the band whilst performing in it himself, always ensuring the music played exactly on beat to never break the immersion. This commitment allowed for the intended organic feel and sense of improvisation, as is typical of the jazz genre.

A Brief Encounter may be the best musical I have seen to date. I would highly recommend that any and all aim to catch a viewing while it is on at the Royal Exchange Theatre from December 2 to January 13, 2024.