The Other Palace – until 16 November 2025
Reviewed by Emily Smith
3***
Based on the popular 2004 film of the same name, 50 First Dates is a new musical that makes its premiere at The Other Palace this autumn. Henry Roth (Josh St. Clair) is a travel blogger meaning he travels the world and meets many girls – but never sticks around long before the next destination. While in Key Largo, Florida, he falls for Lucy Whitmore (Georgina Castle) who he later finds out was in an accident and cannot make long-term memories meaning she re-lives the same day on repeat.
If, like me, you’re a fan of the original film, you may spend a bit of time readjusting to the storyline changes made by David Rossmer and Steve Rosen. Things that made the original film so charming, such as the use of Wouldn’t It Be Nice by the Beach Boys, the backdrop of Hawaii, and Henry’s sidekick Ula (played by Rob Schneider), are notably missing. There were attempts to include elements of these, but they fell a bit flat for me. For example, Lucy seems to be humming a tune throughout the show but there is no connection to this being only on days she meets Henry, and it is never really discussed. Equally while there is some ukelele playing, it doesn’t have the same charm. I almost wonder if these could have been omitted, rather than shoe-horned in.
David Rossmer and Steve Rosen’s songs are reminiscent in style of other great musicals like Dear Evan Hansen, Book of Mormon and The Little Big Things, with some beautiful group numbers and duets, but they were also forgettable. If there was a cast recording to listen back to, I may feel differently, but I didn’t leave the theatre humming a favourite tune and nor could I tell you the names of many of them now. That being said, one of the numbers in particular, I’ll Be Back Tomorrow, is very moving.
Despite the sometimes lacklustre songs, the cast do a phenomenal job of delivering great vocals and comedic moments. Both Josh St. Clair and Georgina Castle are given the chance to showcase their stunning vocals, especially in duets where their voices blend effortlessly. Georgina in particular had great comedic timing and really brought the character of Lucy to life. In my opinion, the star of the show was Chad Saint Louis who delivered a fabulous performance as Sandy, expertly turning from a seductive pin-up style singer to a comedy queen delivering some brilliant puns. I would also be remiss not to mention the hilarious performances of Charlie Toland and John Marquez who played Doug and Marlin Whitmore, Lucy’s brother and father. Charlie’s comedic delivery especially had the whole audience laughing and every scene he was in was made better by his presence! Last notable mention for the cast has to be Aiesha Naomi Pease (Ukelele Sue) who has a powerful voice that carried great emotional depth.
As a venue, The Other Palace is a great choice for this production given its small and intimate feeling combined with a good rake so there likely isn’t a bad view anywhere! The staging, by Fly Davis, is adaptable, predominantly using screens and projectors combined with folding and moving set pieces to create different environments. Fly Davis is also responsible for the costume design, and I must applaud the scene that involved at least four seamless costume changes for Henry and Lucy without leaving the stage!
The show is 1 hour 40 minutes straight through with no interval. Personally, I wonder if making this a longer production could have allowed more character development for Henry as the first 30 minutes or so felt under-developed and insincere. Only once Lucy is introduced and we learn of her accident does the show develop heart and meaning. In fact, it was only then that it felt to me that the show had truly begun.
Casey Nicholaw, a two-time Tony Award winning director and choreographer, has put together a beautiful show which captures the heart of the original film, and if you take it with a pinch of salt, it is a joyful production with a great cast and lots of funny moments to enjoy.