The Last Five Years

 It began and ended with a wedding ring, a small circle. Cathy (Marika Aubrey) and Jamie (Rob Mills) met in the middle of the circle, one tracing the beginning and the other the end of their relationship. This production was well balanced and entertaining, with a wonderful performance from Aubrey.

 Presented by:  Stories Like These in Association with The Seymour CentreVenue: Reginald Theatre, Seymour Centre 
Thursday, 14 July, 2011 (Opening Night)  It began and ended with a wedding ring, a small circle. Cathy (Marika Aubrey) and Jamie (Rob Mills) met in the middle of the circle, one tracing the beginning and the other the end of their relationship. This production was well balanced and entertaining, with a wonderful performance from Aubrey. Jason Robert Brown’s score and lyrics were Broadway flavoured with affecting sentiments. This suited the considerable talents of Aubrey, who with a beautifully sweet, true voice realized all of the technical aspects of the music. However Aubrey also excelled in portraying the emotional content of the songs and the nuances of mood. You believed this woman was raw and hurting. Aubrey traveled from laughter in ‘A Summer in Ohio’ and her audition piece ‘Climbing Uphill/When You Come Home’, to despair in ‘Still Hurting’ keeping the audience with her all the way. This was particularly evident in the skilful rendition of ‘I’m a part of that”. Aubrey gave a standout performance. Brown’s story is about Cathy, an aspiring singer, who meets Jamie, a writer and they start a relationship that from the beginning seems to be ‘Moving Too Fast’ for Jamie. The majority of the 80 minute performance is told via song, with minimal spoken dialogue. Mills struggled at times with the musicality and emotion, but delivered a lovely rendition of a sort of Jewish Christmas tale in ‘The Schmuel Song’ and was touching in ‘The Next Ten Minutes’. When Jamie gains success and Cathy does not, an imbalance makes Jamie constantly reassure himself they are O.K. (‘If I Didn’t Believe in You’) although the audience knows this is bravado. Mills at times deftly portrayed the male orientated feeling of being trapped or caught in a relationship he seems powerless to change. Director Luke Rogers kept the action direct and taught, with a well designed ‘crossroads’ set from James Browne, featuring two strip runways and old stacked furniture which doubled as props and sets throughout. Musical Director Mark Chamberlain and the musicians did a stellar job with a variable and demanding score. Photo By: Kurt Sneddon @ Blueprint Studios  Until 30th JulyBookings: Seymour Centre (02) 91141555