The Lyric Theatre, London – 4 September 2017. Reviewed by Sharon Hinds Kennedy
4****
From the beginning to its finale this production captivated the audience with brilliant renditions from the Simon and Garfunkel song book. The musicians, including a brass ensemble were very talented. The two main characters sang their way through the evening without dropping a note. In fact I closed my eyes and I thought I could actually be listening live to Simon & Garfunkel. Their voices harmonising perfectly.
The songs were performed in historical order of what was happening in the personal lives of Simon and Garfunkel but also placed in historical context of what was happening in the wider world. A slide show in black and white was shown on a large screen behind and above the performers. This historical back drop, included famous scenes from twentieth century America, such as John F Kennedy’s fatal trip to Dallas, race segregation, the Vietnam War and the assassinations of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jnr. A gallery of famous faces of from the 1960s – although most were well known, one or two could have been labelled – this would have helped some of us in the audience who were trying to remember who was who instead of focusing on the music!
This is not a tribute act but a show that gets to the heart and at times the profound meaning and historical narrative that Simon and Garfunkel were addressing through their lyrics and music.
This production is highly recommended and I would award it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️