Review: THE JONATHAN LARSON PROJECT, Southwark Playhouse
Photo credit: Danny Kaan
Step into the mind of a musical revolutionary.
Every generation has composers that redefine the very art form of musical theatre. Before Stephen Sondheim, there was Rodgers & Hammerstein. Before them, George Gershwin. Today, many would argue Lin-Manuel Miranda carries that mantle. But before him? Jonathan Larson was undoubtedly that composer. His work was rebellious, bohemian and fearless, but every word he wrote was fuelled by compassion. His ink may have fired bullets, but they were always aimed with the intention to love and heal. After all, as Larson himself wrote, “the opposite of war isn’t peace, it’s creation.”
If you’re a true musical theatre fan, you’ll know the legend of Larson. You’ll know that he died on the morning of Rent‘s first preview performance. You’ll know the show became an unchanged epitaph to his extraordinary talent. And you’ll know that, like so many great artists, worldwide recognition only truly arrived after his passing.
The question that lingers is impossible to ignore: how many more incredible musicals would the world have been gifted had Jonathan Larson still been with us today?
Thankfully, thanks to Jennifer Ashley Tepper for conceiving The Jonathan Larson Project, and to Thomas Hopkins Productions and SAMS Entertainment for bringing it to the UK, audiences now have the chance to experience something incredibly special during its limited run at Southwark Playhouse Borough. Rather than another retelling of Larson’s life, this is a microscope into his creative brain.
Featuring songs from Larson’s unreleased musicals alongside standalone pieces written for cabarets and workshops, The Jonathan Larson Project isn’t a conventional musical with a linear narrative. Instead, it’s a collection of extraordinary fragments from one of musical theatre’s greatest creative minds, pieced together into a heartfelt celebration of the artist behind them.
That left director John Simpkins with the enviable challenge of weaving these songs into something that felt cohesive, and he achieved it with remarkable care and sensitivity. Supporting that vision every step of the way is Nate Bertone’s pitch-perfect set. Scaffolding, exposed brickwork and an untouched piano immediately make it feel as though you’ve stepped inside Larson’s mind. The floor is scattered with subtle references to his life, including a Rent opening night ticket, and every detail rewards a closer look. “How do you” create a single set that convincingly transforms into more than twenty different locations? You get Nate Bertone to design it. We genuinely can’t wait to see what they do next. A little RENT reference for you there…. No one? Just us?… never mind.
What truly makes this production soar, however, is its sensational cast. Max Harwood, Michael Mather, Marcus Collins, Natalie Kassanga and Imelda Warren-Green are nothing short of a dream team.
Personal highlights included Harwood’s heartbreaking ‘Falling Apart’, Warren-Green’s powerhouse ‘Ladies Who Lunch’-esque rendition of ‘Break Out the Booze’, an absolute slobberknocker of a performance, Kassanga’s beautifully heartfelt ‘Love Heals’, Mather’s emotionally charged ‘S.O.S.’, and every opportunity to hear Collins’ effortlessly clean, soaring vocals fill the auditorium. While every performer brings something unique, Warren-Green proves to be a particular standout, not just vocally, but as a genuinely magnetic stage presence who demands your attention every time she steps into the spotlight.
Listening to this score, Larson’s fingerprints are everywhere. The wordplay. The patter. The relentless curiosity. Even if you walk in without knowing whose work you were hearing, we’d wager you’d still recognise the voice behind it. Larson had an extraordinary gift for asking questions through song, and challenging audiences while simultaneously making them feel understood. Few writers have ever managed that balance quite so effortlessly.
There are countless songs here that deserve to sit alongside Larson’s most celebrated work. ‘Greene Street’ is an instant earworm, and without spoiling the ending, ‘Piano’ provides one of the most moving finales we’ve seen in some time. Why? Because the song itself was left unfinished, and so, tragically, was Jonathan Larson’s legacy. It’s a beautifully simple piece of theatrical storytelling that lands with devastating emotional impact.
We’re not reviewing The Jonathan Larson Project as a conventional book musical because it was never trying to be one. We’re reviewing it as a celebration. And judging on those terms, it succeeds wholeheartedly. This is a celebration that honours the artist without trying to imitate him, allowing his words, his music and his humanity to speak for themselves.
Our only real criticisms are minor. As a celebration of Larson’s extraordinary score, we’d have loved the sound levels to have been pushed just a little further to allow every lyric and orchestral moment to hit with maximum impact. We also found the production at its strongest whenever the cast addressed the audience directly. Those moments feel wonderfully intimate, and leaning into that style even more would create an even stronger connection between performers and audience.
Either way, we absolutely love this show and will undoubtedly return. Not because we feel we’ve seen everything it has to offer, but because we know there’s still more to discover. Another lyric to uncover. Another melody to fall in love with. Another glimpse into the genius that was Jonathan Larson.
With Rent returning to the West End this year, The Jonathan Larson Project feels like the perfect companion piece. Not simply a prequel to one of musical theatre’s defining works, but a remarkable production that more than earns its place in its own right.
Love is love is love.
The ultimate celebration of Jonathan Larson’s legacy.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: James Edge
