The venue is grandiose, the seats are nearly filled and my expectations are pretty high. Getting numbers like these at a fringe venue is an achievement in itself. As the show’s four voices introduce themselves, I hope the story line is filled with promise. Being a woman in my twenties the show has potential to strike a cord. However as the show progresses, it slowly becomes apparent there is a lack of depth in the promising production.
As it begins, the four leading women make clear their aims in life through individual songs. One is getting older, one is a dreamer, and the other two fancy each other. You start anticipating how the show might progress the stories and personal journeys of each of these characters. The songs that follow are in a variety of musical theatre genres that try their best to keep the show fresh. A song about “the facebook” that emphasises a millennial charm is particularly memorable. So is one about the tingly feeling of falling in love with someone.
However, the numbers do not do much to progress the individual stories of these characters. Each song about the static trajectory of a character, makes the musical feel disjointed and well, like it’s not moving. There is recurring emphasis that each of these women don’t know where life is going to take them. This is solidified through the show’s theme song repeated throughout. So while it does seem doom and gloom for a while, there is a switch in the show when all of a sudden everything was figured out, but it seemed to happen off-stage. The performers would have much more to work with and showcase their already apparent talent if the storyline was rich with twists and turns. Instead, the plot is missing in action.
I was waiting to see something happen, a change, a real-time moment of growth. But it seems the good stuff happened off stage, and I am merely told what has happened. There are ample moments of charm and heartwarming moments, however I wish I was there for the big, interesting ones.
Edges10:00 @ Assembly Rooms – Music Hall
Aug 13, 15, 18, 22, 25
