Why Am I So Single? at Garrick Theatre Review
Dating apps meet high camp in Six's Marlow and Moss' latest venture
“Why am I still singing? Why are you still here?”
A hummable lyric taken from the finale, this is among the many hilarious questions writers Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss (the latter also director), the masterminds behind the international smash hit Six asks audiences in their newest musical, debuting in the West End following a sold-out workshop presentation at Sadler's Wells last year.
From its dating-coded marketing to app profile-inspired Front of House imagery, everything suggests pure playfulness through a relatable key concept, which is evidenced from the very first scene in a fairytale-like introduction, when two protagonists - who are later introduced as best friends by the names of Oliver and Nancy (rings a bell?) - address the audience directly to contextualise the plot. Indeed, the opening scene is all whimsical (think ensemble members playing household objects, fridges, bins and the likes) as our leads are procrastinate writing their next sensational musical theatre hit for the eponymous question, one they have been pondering about for most of their lives.
You might also like
So why exactly are they so single? Upon Moi Tran's set of neon-illuminated flats, brilliantly lit by Jai Morjaria in contextual snap colour changes (switching between monologues and scenes) and gig-like synchronisation by the beat (also credited to Amy Spall's show calling), Oliver and Nancy attempts to answer this question with anecdotes expanded into fully choreographed numbers. Needless to say, it is the overlap between the story-within-a-story and Marlow & Moss’ connection as musical theatre writers that elevates the piece's relatability, constantly breaking the fourth wall with frequent self-awareness embedded in its narrative.
As a theatrically-informed audience might expect, the piece overflows with musical theatre references (in case you missed it, a certain musical with similar character names returns to the West End from December, exclamation mark!) but apart from that, there is a lot more to enjoy; Joe Beighton's groovy orchestrations (conducted by Chris Ma) is among one of the aspects, utilising synthesisers resembling the familiar interface of the online dating world; the wholly committed ensemble (full list of talented individuals linked) also dazzles in energetic choreography by co-director Ellen Kane, tackling everything from tap to a flavour of hip-hop - at one point with coloured bin bags.
The standout performances of the evening no doubt come from the aforementioned leads. Jo Foster (Oliver) is the definition of an undisputed triple threat, owning the stage with impressive belts and noteworthy physicality and movement. They are joined by the equally outstanding Leesa Tulley as Nancy, finding a lovable balance of melancholy and grace, fearlessly vocalised in numbers like “Just In Case”; the motif is later beautifully recalled and repurposed from Oliver's point of view culminating in a cheery conclusion.
Like any experiment of fusion of an unconventional topic in a musical theatre setting, it takes time to find the perfect match with audiences, such as striking a balance between unfiltered comedy and more serious undertones which the first act would benefit from. But as noted by the writers themselves in the programme, the story is deeply rooted in platonic friendship, which sparks an under-explored new perspective on the term “single” and what a relationship can look like outside of swiping either way on a glowing phone screen, conceptualised without ticking all the boxes on clichéd stimuli.
This current iteration is a heartfelt reminder that whilst remarkable, traditional plays certainly have their place, it's also perfectly acceptable to laugh and bop along to an entertaining night-out as its creators had intended. So pour in glitzy costume changes, handheld microphones and a couple of memory-consolidating reprises, and allow yourselves to enjoy a wonderful glass of bubbling musical comedy.
★ ★ ★ .5
Why Am I So Single is booking at the Garrick Theatre until Feb 2025. For more information and to book tickets, visit the venue website.
Tickets and Accessibility
Accessibility section contains spoilers - please read trigger warnings at your own discretion.
🎟️ Tickets were kindly gifted by the press representatives for the show. All views are my own, without any input or approval from the producers or venue. Standard tickets are priced from £20, with £25 Rush tickets released at 10am on each performance day on the TodayTix app.
♾️ The audio mix can be loud in volume at certain points during musical numbers. Specific loud sudden noises are listed as follows:
During the Prologue in Act 1, Oliver fires a champagne bottle-shaped handheld confetti cannon downstage left; a small amount of metallic streamers is released into the front rows of the stalls on the line “raging queer” - this is intended to be a surprise. There is intense flashing lights and audience blinders (approx 1 second) during the number “Interlude in B Minor” on the line “there's a bee” and at the end of Act 1.
The Entr’acte begins suddenly before house lights dim for Act 2. The number “Men R Trash” starts suddenly on the line “something like…”. During the finale, Oliver and Nancy passes through the front row of the stalls using the steps by downstage left - there is brief audience interaction.
