Review of ‘Why Am I So Single?”: “It needs a couple of twea(n)ks”

The highly anticipated musical brought by the writing team behind SIX finally lands on the West End stage, setting up a flashy megamix of laughter, romantic confidences and hit-to-be tunes. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if its camp love affair theming is an idea worth marrying.

Ah, the joys of dating… So beautiful, so wholesome, so true… I’m, of course, being ironic. After all, the bitterness of my reviews has to come from somewhere – although I take solace in the fact that, after dating a few actors, I can always take revenge and, upon seeing their shows, proceed to destroy them (and not precisely in the way the used to enjoy…). If you’re disagreeing with my previous statement (the irony, that is – the fact that I’m a sour b*tch is pretty much indisputable…), well, let me tell you something: he’s lying to you – and I know because he told me in bed last night.

Jokes apart (you wish), we must give the creators of the show some credit for coming up with a title that fairly 80 per cent of the London population could feel totally identified with – and that may result in an understatement. We’ve all wondered about it. And we’ve all made that question to ourselves. The answers, much alike to its cast, are rather diverse. Some blame it on their own standards. Some others think people are not that ready to commit. And then there’s me just observing and browsing through Grindr thinking of whom I’ll troll next for my Instagram stories.

Why Am I So Single? is a true story. And like every true story, its honesty pours through every speck of it. However, it doesn’t endorse the same level of veritas. Written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss (the duo behind the now worldwide sensation Six – a show at least a few will certainly lose their head over), the musical is a biographical recount of the authors’ experiences in the partnering-up world – suffice to say, it’s not been much of a pleasant ride for them.

Bringing up many resonant themes that range from emotional health to difficult childhood backgrounds, the piece is able to put some irony into the party, while delivering quite an amusing, entertaining spoof that sets up the tone for a witty, perceptive look into our love lives. The problem arrives when that goal never happens to materialize. Though packed with extremely hummable tunes (something I almost thought forever gone in new West End shows), the rest of the writing doesn’t really match the quality of its score – starting with lyrics which, though not unpleasant, still require better polishing in their prosody, and on top of it, further ingeniousness both in their content and rhymes.

Setting the grounds for a fun but anyhow deep introspection about the way we feel and how we process those feelings, it comes as a bit of disappointment to see how little of this is actually explored throughout the recount – letting many of its possibilities down for the sake of plain spectacle, and ignoring the fact that the droll factor should be the channel for something richer, rather than its final destination. Instead, what we’re left with is basically exposition – going back and forth around the same topics, but leaving very little room for any character or story arc, while giving almost no action to advance the narrative.

With its first half in much better shape than the second (this one, in desperate need of more thorough editing), the production is nonetheless able to compel from a performing perspective. Beginning with Ellen Kane’s highly energetic, and rather eye-catching choreography, as well as Jai Morjaria’s colourful lighting, the montage is a glittering celebration of theatrical bliss – setting the mood high through its flamboyant staging, which despite the simplicity of its sets (featuring a few debatable choices) is nonetheless capable of striking enough awe in its audience.

As for the cast, lead actors Jo Foster and Leesa Tulley bring charm and chemistry into their parts – with Foster’s rendition coming to the front through their electrifying presence and quite capable vocals. However,  the big stand-out of the night is actually the show’s ensemble, regaling us with, genuinely, the most praiseworthy moments in the whole interpretation – boasting infectious stamina, adequate to excellent vocals and, most importantly, an astonishing level of commitment towards the piece.

An uncomplicated, light-hearted and quintessentially millennial view on the romantic struggles that make our current everyday, Why Am I So Single? drafts an accurate depiction of the ups and (mostly) downs of modern relationships, but fails to answer much more than, roughly, its own question by leaving too many aspects in its structure completely unturned. With the material feeling closer to a developed but nonetheless workshop-like state, it’s now time for the creative team to put their hands back into the dough and keep molding until something more defined comes through. Just as in with every kind of affair, the more you sink your teeth into it, the more fun you’ve got.

Why Am I So Single? plays at London’s Garrick Theatre from Tuesdays to Sundays. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara