Love Quirks, a new musical infused with nostalgia from the 2010s, explores the excitement and turmoil of friendships and love. Director Cecilie Fray has skillfully assembled these relatable characters, catchy and poignant songs, and an honest, heartwarming message about the chaos of adulthood and the love and friendship that accompany it.
Love Quirks contains an award-winning script from Mark Childers, who won the 2021 Off-Broadway BroadwayWorld Award for Best New Book of a Musical for Love Quirks. The musical began as a song cycle of Seth Bisen-Hersh's (composer and lyricist) quirky cabaret love songs in 2010, and later became a full-fledged musical. It took a decade to get the show off-Broadway, but it has now been adapted for a UK audience.
The musical follows friends and ex-lovers Chris (Tom Newland), Ryan (Lewis Bear Brown), Stephenie (Clodagh Greene), and Ayesha Patal as they navigate divorce, relationship complications, new developments, and their own friendships. Chris has just split from his fiancée after she cheated on him, and moves into Ryan's spare room, who is moving in with his new boyfriend. Also in the apartment is Stephenie, a recent divorcee, who went to university with Ryan and Chris, and then there's Lili, who used to date Ryan at school before finding out he's Gay.
All of the characters have their backstories and overlap in many ways, creating lots of different arcs in the story. The actors interact and bounce off each other brilliantly as pairs and a four on the stage, and in song, while also comparing each other's problems and mishaps. There are angsty arguments and thrilling drunken dramas in the midst of the production that show the variety of feelings and events that take place in modern friendship.
The songs, while a bit lengthy and monotonous at times, are highly relatable—from pick-up lines to the disappointment of men, and at its heart: of love. The lyrics and jokes add a humorous element to the play, too, constantly making the audience laugh. Lewis Bear Brown, who plays Ryan, in particular, is fully absorbed in his character; he is hilarious and enjoyable to watch.
The set feels small for a musical, but this comes down to the limit of a studio venue. However, Set Designer Bob Sterrett utilises the space with sofas at the back for the characters to sit and also moves objects around when they are creating spaces outside the flat, such as a football game or the pub. I also love the quirkiness of their outfits, particularly Stephenie and Lili, whose outfits feel very unique and bright; Costume Designer Alice McNicholas certainly crafts these well!
Even though this is a musical, some expressions and actions feel exaggerated and a bit overdone at times, and especially the relationship between Stephenie and Chris could have been developed more. A few of the songs in the production are very similar to each other, too, in their composition. However, "Darling, I Loved You / Who Knows Why?" is a beautiful ballad sung by Stephenie and Lili and is definitely the strong vocal point of Act 1.
Overall, Love Quirks is a wonderful production to watch if you enjoy upbeat, funny musicals about love, and don't mind the occasional somewhat 'cheesy' songs that come with it.
It runs until 12 October
Review: Cara-Louise Scott-Lapish