Theatre Reviews

TITLE OF SHOW
Southwark Playhouse
14-30 Nov 2024

“Jeff and Hunter, two struggling writers, hear about a new musical theatre festival. However, the deadline for submissions is a mere three weeks away. With nothing to lose, the pair decides to try to create something new with the help of their friends Susan, Heidi and Larry. With the cast in place, Jeff and Hunter begin a conversation about what to write about. Eventually, Jeff suggests they write about what to write about. They make a pact to write up until the festival’s deadline and dream about the show changing their lives. [title of show] – taken from the space on the festival’s application form which asks for the “[title of show]” – follows Hunter and Jeff and their friends on their journey through the gauntlet of creative self-expression. In the span of 90 minutes they write and perform their show at the festival and learn lessons about themselves as people, friends and artists.”

Review by Richard Lambert, 4 Stars

title of show had it’s UK premiere at the Landor Theatre in London in 2013. The musical is about two struggling writers who try to write a musical. Written by Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen, who also composed the music and lyrics. It first appeared at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2004 and on Broadway in 2008.

It’s a musical with particular appeal to anyone in the industry who’s created their own show and taken it to a festival. The hard work, the lack of time and resources, the high energy needed to get through, the excitement and then the optimism that this is the start of something bigger.

Well in Title of Show, all this actually happened. Following their submission to the Festival they got an Off-Broadway run of their musical. And then considered and worked on the next stage: how to get it to Broadway. Well that’s where the story ends in the musical, although in reality the show did make it to Broadway, it got a Tony award, and has been licensed all over the World.

This version of the production is in the Main theatre space at Southwark Playhouse so the venue feels a little large for a small fringe show trying to reach bigger heights. A show about only 4 chairs and 1 costume – but here the chairs or on top of square podiums with LED lighting underneath and a large moving light rig overheard. There’s a little disconnect between the book and the technical realisation. But having said that, the lighting created some lovely looks.

The music is brilliant with “Larry” playing on a keyboard. Fabulous songs and lyrics and the book is very amusing, interesting and pertinent to many in the audience.

The main issue with the show is that it’s a lot of singing but the sound doesn’t do the cast any favours. It’s over-amplified and every song has so much echo that it’s sometimes difficult to know what has been sung. Less in more. I have no idea what the performers actually sound like when they sing cos of all the sound engineering.

The performers are great!!! Fun, upbeat and enthusiastic. It’s a fun night out without too much drama, and isn’t that what we all need right now!

Photo credit: Danny Kaan