Review: THE LAST FIVE YEARS at Karinthy Theatre, Budapest

Since its very first incarnation in 2001, Jason Robert Brown’s tearjerking, emotional rollercoaster chamber musical, The Last Five Years became a go-for-it show any time when two talented singers and limited production budget are available. The musical’s plot is not really complicated but a bit tricky, as five years of a relationship is told simultaneously forward and backward, from the male and female perspective, respectively. The music as well as the lyrics is simply brilliant, which is often the case with JRB’s musicals. (Anyone can check it with only a few clicks as two different cast recordings of the show as well as a soundtrack of the 2014 movie is easily accessible.)

This present production of the show is the second ever in Hungary, and the very first one in 17 years. The two protagonists, real-life couple, Bogi Dallos and Peti Puskas, proved to be a perfect choice. Their singing is effortless most of the time, with only some slight intonational problems, but what equally important is, that their stage presence is a lot more than convincing. They are totally absorbed in the characters, capturing the sudden mood shifts very well. For me, the big surprise of the night is the eloquent portrayal of Cathy by Bogi Dallos, a talented and well-known singer without any kind of previous acting credits.  

The show was staged with care by theater and film director, Michael Rakhlin. The musical director, Zsuzsanna Gróf led the tiny orchestra of four with gusto, the tempo shifts of the score were captured perfectly. One small criticism to be made, Cathy’s showstopping number, I Can Do Better Than That, could have been a bit more dynamic.

All in all, the musical was a clever choice for Karinthy Theater in Budapest. The first performance immediately after the premiere was turned into a real festive evening by the two main characters, who played in inspired form.

Photo credit: Bea Forgacs, Karinthy Theatre