Frank Wildhorn’s musical adaptation of the romantic manga lays new roots on the London stage in this two-day concert version playing in the heart of the West End. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if this budding piece is finally in flower.
“What musician isn’t a bit crazy?”. Why, thank you – that makes me feel terrific… (Kill them all). Anyway. Putting the meds apart (and then there were none…), it’s true that there’s a tiny speck of madness towering over the stage of the Drury Lane this week, with the arrival of the manga-based musical in a semi-staged concert production featuring some familiar West End names, as well as a few interesting discoveries. Your Lie In April played last night to its first London audiences, in a rendition that, much like the cherry trees that growing cherry trees in its story, left us with some flourishing treats, but also some green concepts.
Based on Naoshi Arakawa’s signature comic piece, the show, narrated through an intoxicating score by Frank Wildhorn’s (previous works include Bonnie and Clyde, Death Note), deals with the trials and tribulations of an teenage musical prodigy – struggling to regain the confidence to keep nourishing his astonishing talent, haunted by the ghostly memories of her emotionally abusive mother. An excellent point to start from (when it comes to drama, that is…), the recount branches out to different engaging subplots, providing further character and introspection to both tale and roles – from conflicting love interests to more insightful themes, such as the toxicity of excessively competitive environments or the importance of friendship.
Navigating between its quiet philosophy and sometimes over-the-top melodrama, the account is nonetheless sufficiently enticing to keep us hooked all through its development – delivering an almost steady pace that allows the action to progress evenly, while also building a bridge between the personages and its audience, which though not fully solidified, still manages to make enough of a connection.
A great deal of this accomplishment may stem, most surely, from Frank Wildhorn’s lushly sentimental score, making a nostalgic homage to the melodious sweetness of 80s/90s pop. Handsomely orchestrated by Jason Howland and masterfully conducted by Chris Poon, the emotional power of its crowd-pleasing sound is remarkably stirring, gently reminding us of a time long-gone but still much present in our hearts – pulling its strings through a subtle tribute to the tunes we’ve stored in it over the years.
With lyrics by Carly Robyn GreenandTracy Miller and book by Riko Sakaguchi (adapted into English by Rinne B. Groff), the writing moves the story forward with a strong enough rhythm, but sadly fails at providing too much insight and wit to make its endeavours more effective. Though counting on aesthetically driven verses, its approach still lacks refinement in order to match the beauty of its musical phrases, struggling a little in conveying its message in the manner it intends to, while sometimes also falling to polish some of its prosody. A similar problem can be spotted in the dialogue, which despite its successful efforts at bringing some substance to the characters, still finds it hard to bridge properly into the songs, apart from not wrapping up several of its scenes with sufficient force.
There are however some major elements worthy of praise, all of them coming from this production in particular. Relying on staggering staging (especially, for a concert version), the first mention goes to set designer Justin Williams, for his uncomplicated yet highly evocative recreation of its anime-based universe – counting on digital painting projections which, supplied by some small props and platforms, triumphantly bring out the story’s whole world. In addition, Simon Sheriff’s lighting is no doubt the crowing achievement of the entire montage – displaying such level of intricacy, voluptuousness and visual poetry, it’s somehow become a second lead throughout the performance.
As for the cast, the ensemble gives a most laudable rendition through their perfectly timed and extremely eye-catching dance sections, sketched with passionate craftsmanship by also director Nick Winston. Among the company, a fair applause is to be given to musical theatre treasure Joanna Ampil, boasting her acting skills with her well-constructed depiction of the protagonist’s tormenting mother. On the other hand, Zheng Xi Yongalso makes a memorable appearance through his quiet yet charming portrayal in the lead role of Kōsei Arima (as well as his unexpected, and most refreshing, abilities on the piano), while Rumi Sutton shows off some delightful vocals as Arima’s breath-stealing love interest, Hex.
A charming retelling of the traditional young romantic tragedy, Your Lie in April manages to excite and touch the soul to some extent, but it’s faced with difficulties when attempting to carry out something more profound than the basis of its safe premise. With a bit of a bumpy structure, especially during the second act, the show is a sprouting seedling of light entertainment, but needs to find its way in adaptation so its petals grow into a more reflective, varied and voice-defined picture. Frail as the flower in the morning is this tiny work of art. And though already enchanting on some points, it will only be when it properly solidifies that it will become too much for one heart.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
All pictures credit to Mark Senior.
Your Lie In April – The Musical In Concert plays at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane until 9 April. Tickets are available on the following link.
By Guillermo Nazara
