Following the successful transfer of their brilliant 'Sunday in the Park with George' to the West End, the Menier Chocolate is tackling another tricky and unconventional musical. 'The Last Five Years' has a fairly common subject for a musical - it explores a relationship between a New York couple - but thoroughly unusual method.
'Nice Jewish boy' Jamie tells the story beginning at the beginning with their first meeting, while his Christian spouse Cathy starts with the break-up of the marriage, and moves back in time. The tales meet in the middle, when the couple sing an affecting duet at their wedding.
It's a slightly pointless gimmick, but does little harm to a show that is all about great songs, with hummable tunes, and lyrics that often stray close to poetry in their expressiveness. Whether they are comic, tragic or, in the case of "The Schmuel Song", simply exuberant, these are perfectly crafted, as good as anything being written today.
It is frustrating that this one-act show is not a little longer - fleshed out with some dialogue, and a few more scenes where the characters are together perhaps. But it is no shame for a show to leave you wanting more. A musical for people who love music, and altogether a pleasure.
Aladdin
Hackney Empire, E8 1EJ
28th November 2009 - 9th January 2010
Hackney Empire, the traditional home of London's panto scene, is recreating the magic of... More
La Cage aux Folles
Playhouse Theatre, WC2N 5DE
Until 9th January 2010
Georges and Albin are a happy couple, living above the St. Tropez nightclub La Cage aux... More
Menier Chocolate Factory
51-53 Southwark Street, SE1 1RU
Even if you haven't managed to get tickets for the Menier Theatre's jolly revival of La... More
Little Shop of Horrors
Menier Chocolate Factory, 4 O'Meara Street, SE1
7th November 2006 - 25th February 2007
Assistant florist Seymour is broke, shy and hopelessly in love, when... More
The Menier Chocolate Factory possesses a unique charm with its ticklish, irrepressible, intimate style of musical theatre and Talent is the latest show to hit ...More
For the first time ever, Shakespeare's Globe will be opening its doors over the festive season with a Christmas show hosted by travelling theatre company, ...More
Bankside House can accommodate over 800 people in a variety of rooms which all feature their own telephones and are serviced daily. The ground floor ... More
This plush, modern hotel south of the historic Tower Bridge is very convenient for exploring London. Just five minutes from the Tube station, it’s 10 ... More
Located on what was once the London estate of the Bishops of Winchester (known as the 'Liberty of the Clink'), the Clink Prison Museum unlocks ... More
Dating back to around 1220 Southwark Cathedral is the oldest Gothic church in London. It has a varied and lively history and houses interesting memorials ... More
This 120-seat restaurant is the creation of Iqbal Wahhab, founder of The Cinnamon Club. Like the Cinnamon Club, it is housed in an outstanding venue, ... More
Taking inspiration from Japanese ramman-noodle bars, Wagamama is the ultimate in high-quality, fast food. Huge bowls of steaming, soupy noodles, chicken dumplings with a chilli-soy ... More
London South Bank University started life as the Borough Polytechnic Institute and has been part of the local landscape for since 1892 making it one ...More
It's a relief to step into Snowsfields Wellness, with its shelves of carefully selected healthy and organic products. Unlike plenty of other places, each of ...More
Float your cares away in ten inches of super-saturated salt solution, the only situation where your body is completely free from gravity. It's like being ...More
Dating back to 1676 this is the only original galleried inn left in London.
Borough High Street was once crammed full of old coaching inns, providing ... More
If you like wine, an afternoon spent exploring the alcoholic delights of Vinopolis is an ideal pursuit. This self-guided tour allows visitors to find out ... More
Get the FREE monthly guide to London entertainment, arts, concerts, sport, book signings, and essential event information delivered directly to your inbox.
LondonTown.com has special discounts every week. The amount of discount will vary depending on the dates you are coming and how far in advance you book. All discounts are subject to availability.
Show favourites only
Report a bug, make a suggestion or just tell us your thoughts.
Following the successful transfer of their brilliant 'Sunday in the Park with George' to the West End, the Menier Chocolate is tackling another tricky and unconventional musical. 'The Last Five Years' has a fairly common subject for a musical - it explores a relationship between a New York couple - but thoroughly unusual method.
