Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London – until 14th January 2024
Reviewed by Mitzi Luck
4****
You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown is a fun-filled musical which will fulfil the need for whimsy and laughs with Charles M. Schulz’s classic characters over the holiday season. Fans of the ‘Peanuts’ comics will be well-versed in the funny traits of the main characters and this musical succeeded in creating a series of familiar ‘Peanuts’ vignettes with a musical flair.
We first meet Charlie Brown, played by Jordan Broatch, as he decides which part of the day is his least favourite with the most heart-warming optimism. He pines for his kite to fly, the attention of the Little Red-Haired Girl (an unseen character) and for more than just peanut butter sandwiches for lunch.
All the characters face their trials and tribulations of a day in childhood, juxtaposed often with the astute wisdom of one much older and wiser. Linus Van Pelt, played by Jacob Cornish, brings this to the fore by being both adorable and wise. This really shines through in the song ‘My Blanket and Me’ with Jacob Cornish bringing some sass to Linus’ character that has the audience laughing.
A ‘Peanuts’ themed musical wouldn’t be complete without a Snoopy character, played by Oliver Sidney. I particularly loved his song ‘Suppertime’ in which Snoopy, played by Oliver Sidney, transforms into a tap-dancing songster. The highlight was his sudden transformation back into a goofy dog in his own little world humming away at the appearance of Charlie Brown, and then back into a star for his final notes!
The whole cast is full of energy and their vocals create a fun and dynamic musical. The set, designed by Ruby Boswell-Green, is created with 2d illustrations and they are so reminiscent of a ‘Peanuts’ cartoon that I would have loved to have seen more or for them to take up more of the stage. The characters all immerse themselves in the set in clever and amusing ways, such as popping up behind a school bus illustration or waving clouds in the air.
The musical wouldn’t be complete without an excellent performance from the band, directed by Harry Style. The timing and backing music were always spot on and created a wonderful atmosphere. All the music is catchy, uplifting, and sure to keep the audience coming back to this classic musical with much-loved characters.