Saw you said you were seeing Harold Fry last Saturday. Would love to know your thoughts!
Omg hi!
So yes I booked this production because of Jack Wolfe's casting, but I also recently finished reading the book, thoroughly enjoyed it, and was looking forward to seeing how they’d adapt it.
First time going to Chichester for a show and it felt perfectly suited to its venue. It's a lovely, intimate theatre surrounded by greenery. If you know your UK regional producing theatres, it reminds me of the Watermill in Newbury but designed with far better sight-lines and though still intimate, less 'snug'! There's room for actors and audience to breathe haha.
I think maybe the Balladeer role could have been better clarified. He’s in this odd space as the show stands at the moment, where he begins the show, but is a narrator, has small interactions with Harold but not with any other character, until he suddenly turns on Harold.
I think because we’ve seen Jack in a role like this before, it gets away with it, but I don't know if the act 1 ending plot twist works as it stands.
This is also because the musical decides on an act 1 end plot twist, which doesn’t actually feel like much of a twist. Maybe because it’s two twists in one— Jack is not only the narrator, but also Harold’s son, who is dead, it’s maybe too much information at once? In the book the fact that David is dead and has been the whole time is revealed only very near the end, and I think the show could have been worked to have David’s death revealed in ‘Dear Girl in the Garage’.
I wish there were more interactions between Jenna Russell and Jack. I loved their duet of Beautiful in Sondheim on Sondheim, and it feels odd that yes, she has her own character arc, but she feels quite secondary. I actually think if Jack as Balladeer responded when Maureen talked to David might've sorted out a few issues. I love that the Balladeer is on stage for almost the entirety of Act 1, but I think more could've been done.
I loved the fleshing out of David. I of course (because I'm me and I record nearly every show I see!) recorded audio and ended up exporting the individual songs onto my apple music, but I keep having such an urge to relisten to more of Jack’s straight acting. Scene about his parents missing his graduation, devastatingly flippant. The disappointment he’s concealing.
And ‘where is it then? All this everything.’ Which I've realised Jack intones differently in my recording than the other audio.
I prefer it this way. David's characterised by this forced flippancy. He's very honest, but maybe afraid of coming off too sincere? So he talks like it's all a joke.
But yes, ultimately I got everything I wanted out of the show. It's a near-perfect adaptation, and I think even my issues could be reworked if it had a future life (maybe uk tour if not a London transfer?).
Jack was lovely at stage door. Came out much later than everyone else and seemed pleasantly surprised and humbled that people were waiting. He came out, saw the (four haha!) fans waiting and immediately apologised saying he didn't realise anyone was waiting. He’s also well aware and can find humour in the incredibly specific type casting that’s happened haha.
