Drama Barn: The Last Five Years

As one of the most highly anticipated performances of the Barn this term, The Last Five Years was always a show that was going to attract a lot of attention. Thankfully for director Jonathon Carr and producer Ryan Lane, there was nothing to worry about when it came to opening night. The Last Five Years played out seamlessly and seemingly faultlessly in a captivating and emotionally charged performance. With a concept that can be confusing at first hearing, the play’s dual storyline – one character moving chronologically through a relationship from first meeting to breakup and the other moving backwards – is somehow easy to follow and instantly grabbing.

As couple Jamie and Cathy, Joe Hufton and Laura Horton are instantly believable in their roles. Accompanied by a 7-part band under the direction of Jamie Oliver, the pair played to their strengths throughout the performance in a one-act musical that never fails to impress.

Horton, of RENT and Elysium fame, stands out as the instantly lovable and fallible Cathy, with her acting and singing talents both being flaunted on the stage of the Drama Barn. With a belt that was truly on form despite the intense heat of sun and stage lights, Horton’s singing ability never lets her down, and yet is immediately appropriate for the fringe nature of the performance. Never over the top or self-indulgent, her singing ability shines through every song, even over the volume of the string trio (and other instruments) only a few metres away. Equally, Horton’s acting ability is mesmerising, with every facial expression causing the audience to move and sway along the relationship with Cathy and her effortless song, from start to finish.

Only slightly less impressive is Hufton’s performance as Jamie. Despite technically accurate singing, against Horton his voice seems somewhat strained, certainly not helped by the conditions of the performance. Occasionally drowned out by the band, his singing and acting can seem more appropriate for a miked performance on a larger stage. Hufton is an actor more suited to Central Hall than the Barn, his facial expressions less moving than Horton’s. Nonetheless, it cannot be denied that Hufton’s talent is still very real, and his performance is both honest and moving. Hufton is a strong actor and that is clear in this show. His comic timing is fantastic, especially in a role that demands a lot of skills from the actor involved, and against any other performer would clearly shine through.

The musical direction by Jamie Oliver is fantastic, with the band making few, if any, mistakes. Their role is as demanding as the actors’, playing almost without pause for most of the musical and always keeping time accurately and sensitively to the rest of the action.

Similarly, Carr’s direction is faultless. The Last Five Years is a play that demands beautiful staging and a director who is as talented as his actors, and Carr never fails in that regard. Taking the risky decision to perform the play in between two facing ranks of the audience, Horton and Hufton are made to act in such a way that always allowed audience members to see something even if they couldn’t see everything. Carr’s direction is both beautiful and dramatic, with the standout scene being that in which Jamie and Cathy travel from couple to fiancées to husband and wife. This scene, delicately dealt with and yet wonderfully moving by the time it comes around in the play is by far the most beautiful, with simply but clever lighting also helping to increase the sense of wonder in those moments.

The Last Five Years is a musical that demands so much of its cast and crew, and is one that deserves a run far longer than the three days it has this weekend. Carr, Hufton, Horton, Oliver, Lane and any others involved in the show deserve utmost praise for what is a powerful and emotional performance that is both consistent and at times jaw-droppingly stunning.