Southwark Playhouse – until 29 July 2023
4****
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
This marvellous new British musical about love and loss is a charming delight – moving and reflective, but also packed with laugh out loud moments.
The debut of writing team Christopher J Orton and Jon Robyns was first dreamt up between shows when they were appearing in Spamalot together and 10 years later they have developed a show with amazing potential. Then, Now & Next tells the story of Alex Shaw (Alice Fearn) and her relationships with Stephen (Joaquin Pedro Valdes), who died, and Peter (Peter Hannah), who she met while still grieving for Stephen. Alex’s inability to love Peter as passionately as she did Stephen is no secret to Peter, but their life together with their young son is fine. But fine may be the worst word in the English language.
The show jumps between two different time periods, and backwards and forwards along each timeline, which could be confusing, but Julie Atherton’s empathetic direction makes the non-linear story easy to follow with Adam King’s lighting and Raffaela Pancucci’s sound design clearly marking which part of Alex’s life we are watching. The set is a wall with shelves of items found in many homes painted white – imagine interior design by Edmund de Waal – amplifying Alex’s repeated longing for some colour in her life. As the cast move furniture around the stage, they keep eye contact with each other, emphasising the continuing presence of Stephen in Alex’s consciousness. The music is uplifting and memorable, with glorious orchestration by Ben Goddard-Young, and works wonderfully as part of the storytelling. A stellar cast with wondrous voices makes this a sure-fire hit.
Early references to Alex’s birthdays make it clear that her more adventurous and exciting life with Stephen took place in her twenties, while now she is approaching 40, she has a more settled life as a mum with Peter. Because we don’t follow Alex’s grief linearly, the show feels like watching a grieving child “puddle jumping” with poignant introspective scenes followed by comedic diversions as Alex meets various characters played by the always excellent Tori Allen-Smith and Justin Brett. Brett also has a pivotal role as a man who shares his experiences of grieving after the death of his husband with Alex, enabling her to start looking forward and not just back, and to try for more than “fine”.
The writers have created two wonderful men for Alex – both kind, decent and caring – making Alex’s inability to commit to marriage with Peter both completely understandable and thoroughly frustrating. Alice Fearn is devastating in the role of Alex – switching effortlessly between the adventurous younger version and her older, grieving self. Apart from one scene where the younger Alex rages about Stephen’s death, she plays Alex’s grief quietly, but always with heartbreaking power. Joaquin Pedro Valdes is fantastic as Stephen, whether he is worrying about turning 30 or being admonished by a policeman for being caught having sex on a train, he is naturally charming and the relationship is believable. Peter Hannah is adorable as the more awkward Peter, full of puppyish energy and using film quotes at inappropriate times. His quieter moments when just a glance shouts out his longing for more from Alex and his understanding that she can’t give him more are a gorgeous portrayal of love.
Then, Now & Next should have a bright future – thoughtful, tender and very funny, this musical hits hard but is full of love and hope.