REVIEW: WHY AM I SO SINGLE? AT THE GARRICK

🎭 Why Am I So Single?

📍  Garrick Theatre, 2 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0HH

🗓 Wednesday 11th September 2024

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FALLS SHORT

WHY AM, I SO SINGLE? is the new musical from Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, the award-winning creative team behind the international smash-hit SIX. Because of their past success, expectations were very high for this production and although it is good, for me personally it lacks the wow factor and feels as if it needs a bit more development.

The story follows two friends, Oliver and Nancy, as they struggle with the dating world. Loosely based on Marlow and Moss themselves, the two have been charged with writing a new musical and we follow them on this quest as well as taking a look at their dating disaters.

The company is led by Jo Foster as Oliver and Leesa Tulley as Nancy who both shine in their roles. Their friendship is believable and they really know how to work an audience - especially Foster. The way the characters break the fourth wall is enjoyable and works well.

What Marlow and Moss excel at is songwriting and there are some really great numbers featured here. 8 Dates, Disco Ball, Men Are Trash and the title track Why Am I So Single? are sure to be fan favourites, but there are just too many songs and some of them feel like time-fillers rather than serving any meaningful purpose.

I'm not convinced for example that we needed an entire song about there being a bee in the apartment. That entire number was quite frankly bizarre and just seemed shoehorned into the show for no apparent reason.

Another thing that let the production down for me was the lighting design. It just felt boring and almost an afterthought which was a real shame. This was most notable during Disco Ball. This song was high energy and the costumes were full of sparkle, but the lighting felt very lacklustre. This number in particular was a real opportunity to go to town with some incredible lighting which unexplicably wasn't taken.

The set was uncluttered and served its purpose and was utilised well by Moss's direction. The choreography by Ellen Kane (who also serves as co-director) was a triumph and was executed well by the cast.

Jo Foster and Leesa Tulley

Credit: Danny Kaan

The ensemble here were absolutely fantastic and gave wonderfully energetic performances. Although there wasn't one weak link in the company, the standout performance of the evening for me came from Noah Thomas as Artie. He threw everything he had at his performance and is such an engaging person to watch on the stage.

It's just unfortunate that there just seemed to be something missing which was difficult to pinpoint. Some of the scenes felt a little drawn out and I couldn't help but wonder whether this show would work better as one act rather than two. It could probably lose about four songs and with some script editing I feel that the story could be told in a more succinct manner.

I really wanted to love this show and even though I did enjoy it and would probably see it again, I just couldn't justify awarding more than 3 stars. It definitely has a great potential and I think it will especially appeal to a younger audience. Maybe as someone in their 40s, I'm too old for the target audience of this particular show.

I can see this show having mass appeal and if you like shows such as SIX and HEATHERS then you'll probably enjoy this one but for me it just needs something to elevate it to the level of those productions.

The references to the musical OLIVER! throughout were funny at first but quickly became tiresome and I felt like the entire section about Ross and Rachel from FRIENDS wouldn't be missed if it were to be cut.

Everything just feels very middle of the road and with so many sensational musicals in the West End right now, this one falls short of being the Big Fancy Musical that it promises to be in its tagline. That being said it does have great potential and a tightening of the narrative would allow for a much slicker show.

The company are so strong, and if they are used to their full potential then this show really could be something amazing.

WHY AM I SO SINGLE? is playing at London's Garrick Theatre until February 2025.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one reviewer.  

My ticket for this performance of Why Am I So Single? was gifted by Chloe Nelkin Consulting who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST LIST:

Jo Foster as Oliver; Leesa Tulley as Nancy; Noah Thomas as Artie; Jemima Brown as Ensemble; Josh Butler as Ensemble; Natasha Leaver as Ensemble; Ran Marner as Ensemble; Jamel Matthias as Ensemble; Olivia O'Connor as Ensemble; Joshian Angelo Omaña as Ensemble; Natasha Wilde as Ensemble; Rhys Wilkinson as Ensemble

RUNNING TIME (approx):

2 hours 30 minutes, including interval