The Last Five Years - Phoenix Theatre

From first time director Luke Peterson comes a really fantastic production of Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years. Produced by Bunce Performing Arts in collaboration with Hidden Gem Productions, this show is playing at the Phoenix Theatre in Uptown. While traffic and parking might be a bit difficult, this is probably one of the best productions of this show I have seen yet. Sure, it is only the third production I have seen but it is intimate, well directed, and the performances were spot on.

Jamie Marshall plays Jamie, while Jillian Bader plays Cathy. Both performers have really great voices, and are a joy to listen to. The story, if you don't know, is of a five-year relationship between these two characters. The show starts with Cathy at the end of the relationship, and the next song is Jamie at the start of the relationship. Cathy tells her story in song from the end to the start, while Jamie sings his story from the start till the end. The one time they truly duet together is in the middle when they decide to get married. This production is also done without an intermission as the show is only 90 min long.

The theme for this production was memory so the set was created with eight different set pieces, five empty frames across the back, and one central set piece. Each character comes on stage, finds their spot, sings the next song and then exits. I'm not sure if this was a directorial choice dictated by the two poles towards each side of the stage that block some audience views, but a lot of the songs were performed center stage - which allowed for full viewing. I found that there was a lot of sitting and singing, which visually didn't always work for me, but it did really focus my attention on the lyrics and the story being told. These performers also make a point to make sure their viewpoint and lyrics are heard and understood clearly. I have listened to this show so many times, and have seen a few productions but I still heard lines that hit differently, or that I felt I didn't really hear before. The one that specifically got me was "Some people can't get success with their art, some people never feel love in their heart, some people can't tell the two things apart." This show really explores two characters and while it can be easy to watch the show and put the blame on Jamie, I truly believe that it takes two to tango. If you listen closely you can hear where the issues may be on both sides. However, I think it is also a show that different people can walk away with different views on what the issues are. Brilliant.

The Phoenix is a small space and this production works so well in it. The sound was perfectly mixed so every word and note from Bader and Marshall could be hear and understood. At the same time, the singing was fully supported by the small live band behind the stage. It plays till Sept 8 and you really should go see this wonderful production. You won't regret it. By the way, there is a content warning on the program stating that it is not recommended for ages 13 and under due to adult themes, language, sexuality, references to drug use, and infidelity. I agree with adult themes and infidelity... but not sure if stating that someone is a stoner, or the word "screw" really fits the language/drug use theme. So just heads-up.