The Last Five Years

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Humorous, charming, heartbreaking, honest, there are few who won’t find some point of identification with Jason Robert Brown’s stunningly realistic musical, The Last Five Years.

Chris Crouch, Shannan Steele, Thom Miller, and Johanna Brickey. These four actors share the two roles in The Last Five Years. Photo by Terry Shaprio.

Having opened at the DCPA’s Galleria Theatre last Saturday night, the last chords and last bows by Shannon Steele and Chris Crouch were met with a standing ovation. Rightfully so.

Steele and Crouch share Cathy and Jamie’s characters with Johanna Brickey and Thom Miller.

The Last Five Years follows the relationship between Cathy and Jamie from the moment they fall in love to when they have to call it quits. Jamie’s a writer, Cathy’s an actor. These two will undoubtedly always love each other. A successful book from Jamie coupled with an agent who knows her business, collides with Cathy’s budding and demanding theatre schedule. What’s remarkably unique about this show is that Cathy’s story begins at the end of the relationship working toward the beginning, and Jamie’s start at the beginning of the relationship working its way to the end.

Directed by Ray Roderick, Cathy and Jamie are on stage for the entire show meeting in their togetherness, standing and singing at times only inches apart in their aloneness and loneliness.

On a brilliantly designed set by J Branson, the two enter from opposite sides of the stage ladened with boxes moving into new apartments. While one may have the spotlight for a song, the other unpacks and rearranges their new apartment. This presents a total complete picture without one competing against the other.

Steele and Crouch fill the lyrics and music with open heart-on-the-sleeve emotions with breathtaking performances.

The first song, “Still Hurting,” Cathy can barely sing at the beginning. The breakup recently occurred. “Jamie is over, and Jamie is gone, Jamie’s decided it’s time to move on … And I’m still hurting.” The words can barely escape from Cathy’s lips. Plaintiff as It is, it is amazing how clear Steele’s words snake through the theatre. In the middle of the song, Steele’s strong powerful voice escapes into Cathy’s soul.

Crouch’s first song for Jamie brings out the fun, humor, and tickling delight of a guy feeling the pangs of love from the top of his head to the tips of his toes with “Shiksa Goddess.” He doesn’t care who she is, what she is, what she’s done or not done. “If you had a tattoo that wouldn’t matter. If you had a shaved head that would be cool ” Jamie has lost it as far as Cathy is concerned, and Crouch provides the various colors of Jamie’s Being.

The turntable in center stage lends itself wonderfully to demonstrating how physically close some people can be and yet so far apart, or how far apart one can be and yet so very close.

Writer, Jamie pens a delightful story in song, “The Schmuel Song,” for Cathy about a little old man caught in a time warp over work. He has a dream, but there’s no time to pursue it. The clock takes matters into its own hands, so to speak, giving him time. The story is really about Cathy being able and free to follow her own dreams.

Cathy’s song, “A Summer In Ohio,” gets down to the nitty gritty describing her life, coping with “a roommate who has a snake…Wayne.”

At times their songs dovetail into each other in juxtaposition to their conflicting demands and raging emotions.

While Jamie laments over once married, and yes, he loves Cathy, temptation reaches out to him at every turn, “Eating your corned beef sandwich, and all of a sudden a pair of breasts walk by smiling at you, and you’re like ‘that’s not fair’.” Around him Cathy auditions in pantomime in song and dance. So close; so far apart. Her song “Climbing up” takes the audience into the inner core of her mind during an audition, “and standing in line with two hundred girls who are younger and thinner than me who have already been to the gym”. Anyone who has ever auditioned for anything whether it is actor, dancer, musician, or for a job of any kind will definitely feel the pangs Cathy explores.

When The First Five Years was first produced, Brown got into trouble with his ex wife who felt the role of Cathy too closely resembled her. Changes were made. However the beauty of the musical lies in the direct honesty of the relationship. The connection between the two run deep, but the conflicts are real, the emotions run the gambit, expressed with some cruel biting words in juxtaposition to the wings of love carrying them over the top.

Steele and Crouch bring Cathy and Jamie to life with incredible definition. They aren’t just singing the words of songs. They are Cathy and Jamie, climbing into the heart and soul of everyone who experiences them.

Running without Intermission, Roderick’s inspired direction, Steele and Crouch’s embodiment of Cathy and Jamie, the down to earth fun, funny, loving, poignant, estranged lyrics definitely classifies The Last Five Years as a major winner, and should not be missed. Of the four actors sharing the two roles, one should not be concerned over who plays who on the night of reservations. Roderick’s expertise isn’t about to cast anyone with lesser quality than Steele and Crouch. That has to be a promised guarantee.

Two items that would be helpful to audience members unfamiliar with the show would be to have an insert in the program noting who takes the lead on any given night, and an insert giving the titles of the songs, and who sings.

For those who have been to the Galleria and familiar with the cabaret format of being able to order drinks and munchies during the show, will find the cabaret aspect has been suspended for this production. The production staff, because of the nature of the show, felt this would interfere. As delightful as the cabaret is, they are absolutely right. When you go, go early enough to get drinks beforehand, which indeed can be taken into the theatre. The Last Five Years does not want any interruptions of any kind. Once there, you’ll understand. Call now for reservations. This is one Galleria production you’ll want to see more than once. THAT’S a promised guarantee.