How can so much be done with so little? There were only two actors, six musicians, one set, 15 songs and zero dialogue, yet all 150 seats in Everyman Theater were sold out for the Sunday matinee of The Last Five Years. It is amazing what the hottest Broadway song writer, smart directing and trur acting talent can do.
The Last Five Years is a musical about a relationship from start to finish -- and from finish to start. It is told solely through song, as Jamie, played by Josh Davis, starts with year one and Cathy, played by Betsy Morgan, starts from year five. The arc of the relationship is beautiful and bittersweet, as insecurities, dreams, pressures, careers and temptation love to the test.
The Last Five Years is playing Wednesdays through Sundays until October 16 in Baltimore's Everyman theatre. At first glance, the Everyman theatre is unimpressive; just another brick-front building on North Charles, slightly stood up by its flashier neighbor, Charles Theatre. But what it lacks in looks, it fully makes up for in performance quality. The theatre is simple and understated. No soaring architecture or gaudy paintings distract from the set. The versatile black box theatre comfortably seats about 150, with angled and raised risers so every seat has a good view.
The set was done in a refreshing contemporary style. Instead of draped curtains, staggered metal dividers decorated with photos and New York signs framed the stage and gave the space depth. Almost all the action took place on either side of the stage, cleverly divided with stage right representing the rough years (four and five) and the left representing the early, happy years (one and two). Glowing numbers on the set clued the audience in on the passage of time, a very helpful device given the contorted timeline of the show. Center stage was dedicated to the third year, where the couple's stories intersect with their only duet. Center stage also housed the band, who played in full view of the audience. Having the band so visible let the viewer become more a part of the entirely song-based show.
The six-player group included two cellos, a violin, a guitarist, a bassist and a piano. Interestingly, there was no drum set, but clever cello slapping filled in. The tempo varied from mournful to upbeat; however, given the limited instrumentation, the songs seemed to run into each other, as if the score was for one very long song.
That didn't matter with Josh Davis and Betsy Morgan onstage. Both talented actors brought the music to life with vibrant facial expressions and impressive acting. With the story told from past to present and present to past simultaneously, there were often scenes which involved the couple interacting, but with only one person onstage. Yet neither actor betrayed the difficulty of having to command the audience's attention entirely alone. Nor did they disappoint as they interacted with their nonexistent partners. Morgan was especially convincing as her character tried to persuade her love that it would all work out in her second song, "I'm Still Smiling." She was the only one onstage, but through her expressive body language you could just see Jamie standing there, telling her he couldn't stay.
The lack of dialogue forced the actors to rely on their soaring voices to carry the show. It started out rough with Morgan hesitant and quavering a bit in her first song, but that must have been her warming up, because everything else was amazing.
Unfortunately, the pair only had one duet. Their singing talent is evenly matched and sounded perfectly blended together. Neither had an artificial breathiness or insane vibrato that so often plagues musical theatre performers. Morgan is a brilliant mezzo who could switch from sweet and innocent to in-your-face pissed off and belting within a measure. Davis sang the whole range of baritone and tenor with a surprisingly beautiful, tender falsetto. Where many singers would falter and crack, he soared through the score infusing energy and excitement into every lyric.
The greatest success of the show is the tenderness Morgan and Davis put into their characters. They are so true and so flawed that even as the audience must witness the pain of love crumbling apart neither can be blamed. There is no protagonist and no antagonist. Even though Jamie gives in to temptation, his boyish charm and earnest desire to please his love shines through. And though Cathy's insecurities hinder her from fully trusting, her sweet smile and willingness to keep trying redeems all her faults. The audience may be sad at the story's end but will walk away sympathetic to both characters.
With the end of the story revealed in the first minute and the beginning in the next, it is hard to imagine what the rest of the show will look like -- everything has been revealed; the rest should be boring. But that is the beauty of The Last Five Years. The portrayal of the relationship is so real, every song pulls the audience in closer to the characters.
Starring: Josh Davis
Director: Vincent M. Lancisi
Playing At: Everyman Theatre
Show dates September 9 - October 16
