Review: WHY AM I SO SINGLE?, Garrick Theatre

Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss' new show Why Am I So Single? is billed as "A big fancy musical'. Bright, bold and funny, it is unashamedly focused on the Gen-Z experience, but gets lost with indulgent in-jokes, repetition and an over-long running time.

The show is a deeply meta look at the relationship between two best friends who just happen to be musical theatre writers. As they struggle to come up with their next big show, they constantly question: why am I so single? And question it they do; again and again until they seemingly run out of things to say.

First the positives. Jo Foster and Leesa Tulley are both fantastic performers and have a brilliant chemistry as besties Oliver and Nancy (yes, there are almost never-ending references to Oliver! here). Foster shows both confidence, attitude and vulnerability as a non-binary character who constantly flits between pronouns, putting up emotional defences to protect themselves from hurt. Their performance of the hurtlingly energetic track “Disco Ball” almost took the roof off and the exceptionally catchy “8 Dates” will surely become a dating anthem.

Tulley also gives a great performance as Nancy, frustrated by the dating world, she goes on to reveal past hurt and loss in a very delicate manner. Her voice has a beautiful clarity, making the most of her wonderfully expressive Glaswegian accent and her comic timing is well pitched.

Noah Thomas is incredibly engaging as friend Artie, though sadly underused. The ensemble is a whirl of energy, performing Ellen Kane’s highly slick choreography with aplomb.

There is a refreshing normalisation of difference, an easy acceptance of queer narratives and a highlighting of the value of platonic love. The story rejects the heteronormative tropes of a happy-ever-after between a boy and a girl, while also exploring the painful reality of social expectations upon those who may fail to fit into its strictures. Oliver and Nancy are likeable, vulnerable and flawed characters, but the length and repetition in the show makes them veer towards whiny in the end.

Following on from the behemoth of SIX must have come with unimaginable pressure. Marlow and Moss are huge talents and this show has many elements that really land, but it is not yet tight enough and hints at indulgence from the producers.

The framing device of the characters being musical theatre writers will delight fans of Marlow and Moss (who also directs with Ellen Kane), but in truth, it is fairly irrelevant to the story. There is an early, oddly placed scene chatting to their agent and the idea of their musical is revisited at the end, but it feels clunky. Oliver and Nancy constantly break the fourth wall, which sometimes works, but sometimes really doesn’t.

Comparison to SIX is inevitable, even though what the two shows are trying to do is completely different. While SIX is laser-sharp with not a wasted moment, by contrast, Why Am I So Single? feels somewhat flabby. It's hard to think of anyone who would not enjoy SIX, while this show is so deliberately focused on Gen-Z, it risks excluding other generations who will simply miss its very specific jokes and references. Perhaps that is the point.

As “A Big Fancy Musical”, the show runs the gamut of musical styles: from rock, to pop, to emo and disco. Overall, the songs are great, many with real hooks and witty, smart lyrics; “Meet Market” is a clever take on the transactional nature of dating apps and Nancy’s beautiful ballad “Just In Case” about pining for a lost love is genuinely touching. However, several would have been better consigned to being bonus tracks on the cast recording, as they add little and elongate an already-far-too-long show.

Moi Tran’s set design is neither big nor fancy, but there are some really inventive elements in Max Johns’ costumes. It’s a bold and odd decision to create anthropomorphic household items around Oliver’s flat played by members of the ensemble. Kids would love it, but this is certainly not a children’s show, with such a proliferation of swearing that even Malcolm Tucker might blush.

There is much to enjoy about this slightly bonkers show, but its current set-up doesn't showcase its full potential. Another hit for Marlow and Moss? Not quite, but it could be.

Why Am I So Single? is currently booking at the Garrick Theatre until 13 February 2025

Photo Credits: Danny Kaan

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