Marry Me a Little, Stage Door Theatre Review
Written by Penny for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.
Marry Me A Little is the first production at London’s newest venue, The Stage Door Theatre – the West End’s first (and only) pop-up pub theatre. You can enjoy a meal, drinks and a show, it’s billed as a one-stop shop for a fantastic night out in London.
Marry Me A Little is a musical revue, put together into a song cycle by Craig Lucas and Norman Rene. It tells the story of two single New Yorkers, spending a lonely evening alone in their separate apartments. The songs are all numbers that have been cut from some of Stephen Sondheim’s best known musicals, including Follies, Company and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, as well as some of his lesser known work.
Despite the huge popularity of Stephen Sondheim, his music is not always easily accessible, merging his sharp and clever lyrics with challenging rhythms and melodies. So, the idea of a show put together using songs that haven’t made the cut seems like a bit of a strange idea. Will there be enough “tunes you can hum” to make this an enjoyable and entertaining evening?
The theatre is in the upstairs bar of the Prince of Wales pub on Drury Lane. The audience is seated at pub tables to the front and side of the stage. The room feels full but not over-crowded and the space allows for intimate performances from the actors who are very close to the front tables. The stage is high enough that you don’t have to be at the front in order to see the action.
Designer David Shields has made the most of the space available to create a small and slightly cramped New York apartment. There’s a mini fridge, a microwave, breakfast bar, sofa and desk – with enough dressing to make it look lived in.
Director Robert McWhir makes good use of the set. Rather than showing two separate apartments, the two actors share the same space throughout, although they never interact or even acknowledge each other. This leaves any relationship between the pair open to audience interpretation. Are they in the same apartment but at different times? Are we meant to assume the apartment set represents two separate spaces at the same time? Were the actors once a couple, are they yet to meet, or are their paths never intended to cross? It’s full of possibilities and very satisfying to be able to draw your own conclusions.
The songs are all about love and relationships and the two characters, played by Shelley Rivers and Markus Sodergren, have different feelings about their romantic lives. With no dialogue, the characters and their back stories are established through the songs and the actors give us two clearly distinct personalities, letting us in on what’s going on in their minds through their interpretations of Sondheim’s writing. Sodergren, home alone on a Saturday night, is cynical, jaded and seems to be lamenting a lost love, whilst Rivers, getting dressed up to go out, is more optimistic, it feels like her romantic journey is just starting.
Vocally, the pair are extremely impressive, shining in solo songs and blending well in the tricky harmonies and rhythms of the duets. Rivers is at her best when her beautiful soprano voice is delivering a soaring melody, her version of “There Won’t Be Trumpets” (Anyone Can Whistle) is stunning and joyful. At times in some of the softer numbers, I couldn’t hear every word she was singing but, just as her confidence appeared to increase during the performance, I’m sure she will get stronger and stronger as the show’s run continues.
Sodergren has a gorgeous clear tone and fantastic diction, equally at home with numbers with more of a comic element as he is with the stirring emotion. His performance of “Happily Ever After” (Company) was beautifully done, drawing the audience into the character’s loneliness and isolation without losing sight that he also had hopes and dreams. Although the pair don’t meet, you’re still left with the sense that they have great chemistry.
The singing is accompanied by Musical Director Aaron Clingham on piano. He manages to make the songs flow together beautifully and, although these are lesser known Sondheim pieces, his distinctive voice is there with melodies, rhythms and even lyrics that clearly originated in some of his biggest hits.
Running at just around an hour, this is perfect entertainment for a Sondheim fan, giving the chance to hear some more obscure songs performed by a very talented cast and in a space that allows you to feel that you’re actually invited into their apartments to hear them tell their stories. It’s a real treat. If Sondheim is not your thing, it might not resonate quite so much, but it’s still well worth going along to absorb yourself in an evening of beautiful songs that are beautifully performed.
Marry Me A Little runs at the Stage Door Theatre until 13th April. Find out more and book tickets here.
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