THEN, NOW & NEXT - REVIEW - SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE

“Fine might be the worst word in the English language.”

Then, Now & Next delivers the perfect balance of emotion and humour. We see scattered snippets of Alex’s (Alice Fearn) life as she is in a state of reflection, attempting to take steps forward but being held back by her past. This is a nonlinear show as we jump through time to different moments of her life over 20 years, with the focus on two of her relationships: her past young love with adventurous Stephen (Joaquin Pedro Valdes) and her current secure life with the father of her child, charming and dependable Peter (Peter Hannah). Alex is on a journey to hopefully become more than just ‘fine.’

The set is presented as Alex’s home. The wall is covered with homely objects: books, a plant, a fridge, and a guitar. It is all painted white, emphasising the lack of ‘colour’ in Alex’s life, with a few interchangeable set pieces also all white.

The structure of the show is executed brilliantly. We are teased with different moments of Alex’s life with both Stephen and Peter. The audience has to be patient as the show unfolds, and we gradually get to piece together and make sense of all of these moments, which is intriguing and engaging. The transitions between these snippets are pulled off well through the use of sound, lighting, and rearranging of the set.

Christopher J Orton and Jon Robyns’ dialogue is to-the-point, raw, and natural; you can see their acting backgrounds in the dialogue, and that translates into the lyricism as well. This is delivered to us by an immensely talented, well-rounded group of actors. In particular, Fearn and Hannah stand out for their phenomenal acting and vocals. Additionally, Tori Allen-Martin steals the show with her hilarious ensemble characters.

It’s so satisfying when you start picking up on the subtle links presented, connecting the ‘now’ to the ‘then.’ While these links are effective, I was not a fan of some of the symbolism used, namely the yellow scarf. While the scarf is part of a lovely turning point for Alex, bringing the color to her life that she has been searching for and getting a glimpse of hope for her future, it feels a bit forced. I think they just need to be more intentional with the use of it throughout to take away the cheesy nature.

A few of the songs, arranged by Ben Goddard-Young, with musical direction by Honor Halford-Macleod, are really enjoyable. In particular, ‘Coming to Terms’ presents this beautifully harrowing, heartfelt moment about the complexities of grief. The opening number of Act II is executed brilliantly; it is just so clever and satisfying as we are seeing two different moments in time coexist in the same space.

Unfortunately, a lot of the songs do start to sound similar. It would be nice if there were more variation in sound. I was disappointed with the closing number as it felt lacklustre. In the final moment of the show, Alex’s now grown son, Daniel, (Justin Brett) says, “Let’s go, Mum,” as he takes her hand and leads her upstage to the white door that is now open. This feels cliche amidst the otherwise natural show.

Then, Now and Next feels so ‘human’. There is something relatable in it for everyone, whether that be dealing with the realities of being in a comfortable long-term relationship or struggling with the loss of your person and having to grow through grief. From the writing to the structure to the subject matter, this show brings a gorgeous balance of everything I’m looking for in a contemporary musical, which is amplified by the impressive cast.

{🎟 AD: PR Invite – Tickets gifted in exchange for an honest review}

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