50 First Dates: The Musical at The Other Palace Review
Fall in love for the first time, over, over, and over again - in one act!
If The Time Traveller's Wife, Groundhog Day and 13 Going On 30 taught theatre makers anything, time, non-chronological order and memories make for material that gives endlessly (excuse the pun) and then some. For David Rossmer and Steve Rosen, the 2004 American rom-com film 50 First Dates which starred Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler seemed like a no-brainer for an intriguing hook when it comes to a musical adaptation, which have been placed in highly capable hands in an attempt to nail it in one take (not fifty).
Following accomplished travel blogger Henry Roth, who meets island native Lucy Whitmore by chance on holiday by the beach, unbeknownst to her a major accident that caused permanent short-term memory loss, the story navigates countless ‘first’ encounters as the newly acquainted lovers find each other in the absence of memory, or memory as we know it.
Approaching the adaptation in blind without having first experienced its film counterpart allowed for almost a second perspective on the effectiveness of the story as a standalone piece; Rossmer and Rosen's book stood firmly on its feet with one-liners aplenty, echoing the whimsicality of the film while providing an opportunity for more depth beyond what panoramic aerial views of the Hawaiian landscape and jump-cut shots achieved. There are moments, similar to the film, where jokes are fired in quick succession that though most land with a press night audience, they can feel oversaturated at times; though like many shows under his belt in an increasingly scalable theatrical portfolio (most recently Mean Girls, Hercules and up next The Greatest Showman), Casey Nicholaw's signature hearty vision as director and choreographer shines in this piece, with the occasional sentiment peeking through the guise of feel-good comedy on the surface.
Leading an exceptional cast are Georgina Castle and Josh St. Clair as the easily loveable Lucy and Henry respectively; skipping onto the stage with distinct cheerful energy, St Clair embodies the role of Henry with overflowing earnestness behind every line, melody and gesture, blossoming with sensational chemistry when Castle's bubbly Lucy arrives humming out loud. The pair's mutual respect and admiration for each other's characterisations make convincing the audience the authenticity of their relationship a breeze.
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A particular mention must go to a hilariously memorable trio of comic villains - Henry's (over)hardworking agent Delilah (Natasha O’Brien), Lucy's (over)protective brother Doug (Charlie Towland), and waiter Sandy (Chad Saint Louis) who introduces themselves to Lucy every day as the newest arrival on the block. O’Brien's impeccable comedic timing, coupled with a nondescript posh accent provokes raucous outbursts (likely from fellow talent scouts) in the audience; Towland's fluent physical language and impressions makes for a painfully accurate portrayal of the ever-evolving masculinity spectrum; the standout performance from this reviewer's perspective, is undoubtedly Saint Louis’ joyously flamboyant Sandy who, amidst advocating to return to Florida's house of mouse as a Jungle Cruise skipper, utters ‘everything has gluten here’ while solemnly delivering a plate of waffles on a table, before belting their way through jazz-handed musical numbers with the occasional nod to the likes of Alan Menken as Aideen Malone's lighting colourfully pulsates on Fly Davis’ boardwalk canvas set - what's not to love?
All of the above is to say, with an infectiously joyful company assembled, the production has all the correct ingredients for a big-hearted 100 minutes of fun. But as far as first date attempts go, the show as a world premiere production understandably seems to be undergoing its experimentation phase, where its structure and material remains malleable as audience response to the story - first written two decades ago - constantly evolves. However, much like one of its protagonists, while creatively the show seeks the final pages to complete its current chapter, the performances alone makes each and every date worth falling for.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
50 First Dates: The Musical plays at The Other Palace until 16 November. Book with London Theatre Direct here, or find more show information on the production website.
Tickets and Accessibility
🎟️ Tickets were kindly gifted by the press representatives for the production, with expectation of an honest, unbiased review. All opinions remain those of the writer, without any input or approval from the producers or venue. Standard tickets are priced from £35, with £29.50 Rush tickets released on each performance day via the TodayTix app.
♾️ The production features amplified music throughout, with mostly static lighting states, one moment of flashing lights approx. 81 mins in during the number ‘Perfect Day’ and no use of smoke or haze effects throughout.
Specific sensory moments are therefore not noted.