Review: 50 FIRST DATES THE MUSICAL, The Other Palace
Photo credit: Pamela Raith
The Other Palace is home to the world premiere of David Rossmer and Steve Rosen’s rom-com musical extraordinaire 50 First Dates: The Musical, pursuing a limited autumn run. Casey Nicholaw’s production promises to deliver romance with a punch, pulling on your heartstrings with a completely original score to complement this touching love story.
The show takes inspiration from the popular 2004 movie featuring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, within which protagonist Lucy suffers from memory loss, causing her to relive the same day and consequently keep meeting Henry Roth for the first time for a series of endless first dates, begging the question whether Henry is willing to risk the biggest break in his career for someone who won’t remember him the next day.
The lead casting is strong, providing many standout performances. Josh St. Clair takes on the male lead Henry Roth, tackling the character trajectory from a self-centred commitment-phobe influencer to a caring hopeless romantic with so much irresistible charm that you can’t help rooting for him. Georgina Castle creates a completely lovable Lucy Whitmore. Her performance will bring you to tears countless times as she handles Lucy’s story with innocence, softness, and delicacy. The onstage chemistry between St. Clair and Castle is simply moving and electric.
Aiesha Naomi Pease is a vocal masterpiece, adding depth and character to each solo in the role of Ukelele Sue, providing rich dynamics that bring the vocal score to life. Chad Saint Louis is an energetic masterpiece in the role of Sandy, delivering each punchline with flair and nailing the comedic timing with precision, they are simply a bundle of joy to watch oozing with irresistible enthusiasm throughout the show.
The production features a strong ensemble of characters each on their own love story, bringing chemistry and energy to the show through upbeat dance routines that bring joy to the more light-hearted moments of the storyline, or creating a heartwarming support system for Lucy in the more tender moments. The audience find themselves rooting for every single character, all lovable in their own right.
Fly Davis’ set design is practical and effective, focusing mostly on the central location of Ukelele Sue’s café, filling it with character and charm, whilst rotating to transform into Lucy’s house. The setting is beautifully complemented by George Reeve’s projection design, that channels both Henry Roth’s inner travel bug with gorgeous recreations of different European cities, as well as Lucy’s inner artist through creating stunning murals and an impactful gallery of her paintings. The pre-show projection design truly brings romance to the forefront by featuring countless images of real first dates from members of the public.
Davis also takes lead on costume design, along with the supervision of Heidi Bryan, and the pair work brilliantly with incredible attention to detail to capture the intricacies of each character’s personality and style, and quite simply add a new layer of comedy through Doug Whitmore’s outfits, perfectly capturing his overconfident protectiveness and entertaining toughness.
The original vocal score contains a mix of ballads, emotional solos, cutesy duets, and high energy ensemble numbers. As a coherent soundtrack, these songs may not be particularly catchy or memorable but they work to elevate the story within the show’s context and allow for the cast’s talented vocals to shine through.
This show breathes new light, laughter and love into a rom-com classic. If you are looking for a feel-good love story backed with a bit of emotional bite, this is the perfect show for you.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Heidi Downing
