To call Jason Robert Brown’s contemporary musical “The Last Five Years” an emotional roller coaster would be an understatement. Eleven years after the show’s original opening, Second Stage Theatre’s revival brings the show back to New York in a new production starring Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe.
Brown’s semi-autobiographical work recounts the powerful relationship of Cathy and Jamie, two twentysomething New Yorkers who dive into a marriage driven by the optimism of finding “the one” that shrouds other issues.
The story is not for the faint of heart. It delves into the painful details of Cathy and Jamie’s marriage and divorce. The great idiosyncrasy of “The Last Five Years” is that one character moves chronologically forward in the story while the other goes backward, causing hysterical laughter one moment and sobbing the next.
The musical begins with Cathy’s grief-stricken number, “Still Hurting,” a reflection on the end of her marriage to Jamie. The act is followed by Jamie’s comical “Shiksa Goddess,” which tells the story of him falling in love with Cathy five years earlier.
The marriage scene and their beautiful duet, “The Next Ten Minutes,” is the only instance in which Cathy and Jamie directly interact and are, figuratively speaking, in the same place at the same time.
True to real-life relationships, “The Last Five Years” explores Cathy and Jamie’s failing marriage without blaming one or the other. Of course, this does not stop the audience from going for “Team Cathy” or “Team Jamie.”
The musical’s unique concept admittedly may not work for everyone. Those who find the storytelling style to be confusing can still sit back and enjoy the background music, but audience members who know what to expect are in for a poignant experience.
While both Kantor and Wolfe are nothing short of wonderful, the former’s wide emotional range and strong vocals are what make the musical so unforgettable. Kantor’s moving, genuine and heartbreaking rendition of “If I Didn’t Believe In You” is the highlight of the show.
In addition to the actors’ outstanding performances, the set is one-of-a-kind. Minimalistic yet innovative, the set uses windows to reflect the characters’ imaginary locations, including the Central Park Lake, the sky, the road. The band members, who take a prominent place on stage, also add to the scenery.
Ingeniously funny and passionately honest, “The Last Five Years” boldly challenges our assumptions about love, commitment and forgiveness.
“The Last Five Years” is playing April 4 through May 12 at the Second Stage Theatre on 43rd Street.
Luiza Monetti is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected].