Review: THE LAST FIVE YEARS Leaves Lasting Impression

In the third song, "See I'm Smiling," of the musical THE LAST FIVE YEARS, Catherine Hiatt (played by Melissa Hall) sings to her husband, "I think you're really gonna like this show. I'm pretty sure it doesn't suck."

By that point in the Short North Stage's production of the Jason Robert Brown musical, it appeared that most of the Garden Theatre audience was well beyond the point of being won over. From the heart-rendering opening notes of "Still Hurting," to the show's finale "I Could Never Rescue You," Hall and Jarred Biron Green (who plays Jamie Wellerstein) captivate the audience. The show opened May 5 and closes May 22 at the Garden Theatre (1187 North High Street in downtown Columbus).

The show tells the tale of a failed relationship between Jamie, whose star is rising as a novelist, and Cathy, whose acting career is reduced to doing FIDDLER ON THE ROOF somewhere outside of Cincinnati, in reverse chronological order. Cathy tells the story from her point of view, starting from the end and working her way backward. Jamie tells his story from beginning to end.

The audience knows from the beginning Jamie and Cathy's affections are damaged beyond repair. In the show's opening number "Still Hurting," Cathy shares her feelings about the end of the relationship: "Jamie is over and where can I turn? Covered with scars I did nothing to earn? Maybe there's somewhere a lesson to learn, But that wouldn't change the fact, That wouldn't speed the time, Once the foundation's cracked and I'm still hurting." Yet at the same time, the viewers are transported back to the time of optimism and hopefulness of the love through the eyes of Jamie's early numbers.

As the show progresses, the audience can see why the marriage failed (fragile egos, jealous, infidelity) and still feel empathy for both parties.

Hall, who was last seen in Short North's FUGITIVE SONGS, brings a tenderness and frailness to Cathy that becomes particularly heartbreaking as she goes to back to the beginning of the relationship. Green, a veteran of national tours of WEST SIDE STORY, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, GREASE and THE WHO'S TOMMY, makes what could easily become a clichéd character seem like a flesh-and-blood person.

The two are often on stage at the same time but only do two duets - "The Next Ten Minutes," when the two get engaged, and the powerful closer as Jamie sings the coda to the relationship "I Could Never Rescue You" while Cathy counterpunches with cheerful "Goodbye Until Tomorrow." Cathy's piece closes with the words "Goodbye until tomorrow;" Jamie simply ends with "Goodbye."

Director Nick Lingnofski put together a show that shines because it is both simple and complex. For example, the stage consists mostly of a bridge and a dock that rotate to different positions to support the action of the show. The two changing elements symbolically serve as the hands of a clock. Like a picture puzzle from Highlights for Children Magazine, different clues are hidden around the stage to show the hour of the day: a playbill from the show NINE is hidden the bushes and the "g" in the word Central Park's Imagine sign is actually a six.

Time is one of the central themes of the show and one of the clever touches of the show is Sophia Gersing's animated projections during Jamie's telling of THE SCHUMEL SONG.

All the action taking place in the center of the Garden Theatre stage with riser seating on either side. The vantage point gives the show an intimate atmosphere and it was interesting to watch the crowd's reaction to what was happening on stage. When Jamie finally succumbs to temptation, some of the female audience members couldn't even bring themselves to look at Green.

Musical director Andrew Willis (keyboards), Nick Saunders (violin) and Tom Davis and Ben Canton (who share the guitarist duties during the run) produce an orchestrated sound that seems a lot fuller than just a trio.

THE LAST FIVE YEARS is a lot like that first deep romance one experiences: bittersweet and powerful. The memories of this show might last a lot longer than Jamie and Cathy's marriage.

THE LAST FIVE YEARS will be performed May 5-7, May 12-15 and 19-21 at 8 p.m. with 3 p.m. matinees May 7, 15, 21 and 22 at the Garden Theatre (1197 North High Street in downtown Columbus. Call 614-725-4042 for ticket information.

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