BWW Reviews: Utah Rep's THE LAST 5 YEARS Features Phenomenal Performances

Utah Repertory Theater Company's heartfelt production of THE LAST 5 YEARS is a real treat for fans of musical theatre thanks to its phenomenal featured performances.

THE LAST 5 YEARS (recently released as a film starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan) is an intimate off-Broadway musical written and composed by Jason Robert Brown (PARADE, SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY). There's not quite enough plot for it to be a full-fledged book musical, but there's too much plot for it to be merely a song cycle. It is in an interesting place as something completely unique in the world of musical theatre.

The show chronicles the romance and marriage of Cathy and Jamie from inception to dissolution, alternating looking at the events from each of their individual perspectives. Cathy's point of view starts at the end of the relationship and goes backward in time, while Jamie's starts at the beginning and moves forward in a more traditional way.

The juxtaposition of emotions from the two lovers at the high and low points of their time together creates a cacophony of emotions and illuminates the nature of relationships in insightful ways. The power of the piece would be diluted if it were not performed with subtlety and finesse, as it thankfully is in this production.

Erin Royall Carlson as Cathy and Rhett Richins as Jamie are both riveting from the first note of the score to the last. Their acting is nuanced and realistic. Their singing is powerful and skilled. The audience feels their connection, even though they are rarely together onstage. Carlson especially excels at the comedic moments, while Richins especially excels at the dramatic, but both are superb throughout nearly every loop thrown them by the roller coaster ride of Cathy and Jamie's marriage.

With great direction by John Sweeney and music direction by Anne Puzey, the production also features a lovely string quintet. Costume designer Nancy Cannon has done a wonderful job selecting wardrobe for each of the songs, and set designer Justin Jenkins has created a versatile set that transitions seamlessly throughout the show. Lighting designer Joe Jenkins should also be commended for intriguing and satisfying uses of the lights available.

At a lean 90 minutes, THE LAST 5 YEARS is a delectable after-dinner refreshment you can't afford to miss.

THE LAST 5 YEARS plays at the Sugar Space Studio Theater in Sugarhouse through March 15, 2015 and the Ziegfeld Theater in Ogden from March 20 to 22. To buy tickets and for more information, visit www.utahrep.org.

CONTENT ADVISORY: Please be aware that this production contains a small amount of adult language and themes. To decide whether the show is right for you, visit Utah Rep's content advisory page at http://utahrep.org/2015-utah-reps-season-of-levity-and-consternation/2015-season-content-advisory/.

Photo Credit: Alex Weisman/IceWolf Photography. L-R Rhett Richins (Jamie) and Erin Royall Carlson (Cathy).

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