Review: THE LAST 5 YEARS Brings the Complexities of Relationships to the Nashville Stage

Nashville shows her talent yet again, by way of VWA Theatricals' inaugural production, THE LAST 5 YEARS. With a two person cast and a nearly completely sung through book, THE LAST 5 YEARS follows the relationship of Jamie, a young writing prodigy, and Cathy, an aspiring actress. Directed by Jeffrey Ellis, THE LAST 5 YEARS has been suggested to be loosely based on the first marriage of the show's creator, Jason Robert Brown. It is an emotional ride for all involved as the story is told in a most interesting fashion.

The show begins with Cathy at the end of her relationship with Jamie. But if you think the story is going to be told backwards, you'd be incorrect. When we first meet Jamie it is at the beginning of his relationship with Cathy. While each character is on stage, sometimes at the same time, they only meet, and actively interact with each other at one point in the show. When they meet in the middle of Cathy's backwards story and Jamie's chronological story.

Delaney Amatrudo and Luke Denison tackle the highly emotional roles of Cathy and Jamie. Amatrudo has the huge task of taking a character backwards in time. Her Cathy is emotionally broken and devastated at the beginning of the show, and you see Amatrudo put the pieces of Cathy back together as time travels backwards. Amatrudo takes Cathy's emotional vulnerability and confusion and makes the hearts of the audience break with every note she sings. Throughout the show, you see her heartbreak turn to uncertainty and hurt, and then on to contentment, happiness, and joy.

Luke Denison's Jamie begins the show as an ambitious, jubilant young man. You can't help but smile as he sings of meeting his "personal Aphrodite," Cathy. Denison gives Jamie a loveable and joyful personality and as the show continues on, you begin to see the cracks in Jamie's life begin to form. Denison makes you sympathize with Jamie, even when you're upset with him.

The truly remarkable thing about this show is the creator's ability to give a solid view of BOTH sides of the relationship. It could be so easy to taint a story, one way or the other, and with the thought that the show itself is based on Brown's first marriage, it becomes even more remarkable.

Amatrudo and Denison, under the direction of Jeffrey Ellis, bring an amazing story to a Nashville stage. Lighting and scenic designer, Cody Rutledge dresses the story with a stage set for two stories with constant changes happening.

THE LAST 5 YEARS plays at Darkhorse Theatre through August 22nd.

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