Tomorrow Morning Review
Time Out
18th July 2006
Tomorrow Morning
It's the night before the morning after: John's marrying Kat tomorrow, but hasn't written his
groom's speech, and Jack and Catherine are preparing to sign their decree nisi. Of course, both couples
are having doubts.
Laurence Mark Wythe's new musical owes a huge debt to Stephen Sondheim, from the self-absorbed lyrics
to the goose-pimpling diminished chords and staccato-quaver riffs. Nevertheless, there's something pleasingly
ambitious about the production. Designer Philip Witcomb has got round the strictures of the 80-seat theatre,
hiding the band behind one of the best sets I've seen in this tiny space, and superimposing the couple's three flats.
It makes a high-quality showcase for both Wythe's undoubted composing talent - surfing a gamut of styles
from flamenco to blues - and the singing of his on-stage quartet, especially the well-lunged Emma Williams.
Not to mention director Nick Winston, who manipulates moments of real comedy to alleviate a plot hovering
between moribund and non-existent. Stephen Ashfield, as John, serves up a bundle of energy as he relates
his recurring wedding nightmare. Alistair Robins and Annette McLaughlin (Jack and Sarah) are mostly stuck
swigging the whisky as the world-weary, isn't-life-bitter pair. But their pacy comic duet about the last
time they had sex uncovers a fantastic double act.
Still, a character-based piece like this needs more, well, character, and Wythe needs a writing partner
to inject some creativity and structure. With that, I suspect, the hectic exhibitionism of his score
might be allowed to mellow and expand into some really great tunes.
Emma John
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