News A Level Music students visit the Garrick Theatre 08.10.2021
On Wednesday, A Level Music students visited the Garrick Theatre in the West End for a performance of Jason Robert Brown’s award-winning musical, The Last Five Years.
The story follows the lives and the five-year relationship of just two characters: Jamie. a rising novelist, and Cathy, an aspiring actress. The show uses a unique form of storytelling in which Jamie’s story is told in chronological order (starting just after the couple have first met) and Cathy’s in reverse chronological order (beginning the show at the end of the marriage). The duo alternate between singing, playing the piano, guitar and ukulele but do not directly interact except for a wedding song in the middle of the show as their timelines interest. As the two performers were on stage throughout and therefore couldn’t see the orchestra or the conductor, it was particularly impressive how they played, sang and acted in perfect sync with the musicians. Students were taken on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, with the characters portraying the highs and lows of their such believability.
Some students were fortunate enough to meet and have their photo taken with Jamie (played by Oli Higginson) at the end of the show.