Harold Fry lives each day the exact same, never straying from the ordinary. That is, until he receives a letter from an old friend and decides it's time to start living. Based on the novel by Rachel Joyce and featuring music from Passenger, this musical is a true song and dance into the plight of this seemingly average man.
Mark Addy is, naturally, fantastic in the role of Harold Fry. His performance is perfectly deadpan, undercutting extravagant show tunes and dance breaks. Yet, he's still touching, choosing poignant moments to hit you with emotion. His descent into a grief-stricken father is both incredible and hard to watch. Another standout has to be Noah Mullins, playing the role of The Balladeer. They act as the perfect antithesis to Addy's performance, full of life, emotion, and song. Their fluid movements and haunting of the narrative provides an incredibly effective juxtaposition to Addy's clunky, no-nonsense approach.
As a self-confessed sucker for puppetry, I was thrilled to see the character of ‘The Dog' enter the story. Timo Tatzber does a gorgeous job of bringing him to life, stealing the show in such subtle, touching little moments. His performance is so realistic yet charming, to the point that I found myself tearing up when he (and the dog) took their bows at the end.
The script (adapted by Rachel Joyce, Peter Darling & Katy Rudd) is a fantastic blend of musical theatre glamour and grounding self-awareness. These huge, unexpected show tunes come out of the blue, often accompanied by a confused look or sardonic song lyric. Passenger's soundtrack is the perfect accompaniment, where each song is blindingly different, playing a pivotal role in forwarding the story. A particular favourite has to be ‘You're F*cked', a witty song with a uniquely cynical insight into the protagonist's current physical and mental state.
My one complaint would have to be the pacing, particularly that of the second half. We leave the first act at a rather dramatic climax and it feels as though the second act never quite resolves itself in that sense. We spend a lot of time exploring Harold's journey, introducing a myriad of interesting characters, yet we never linger on them for quite long enough. I also felt that the actual crux of Harold's journey was rounded off and ‘finished' far too quickly for my liking.
That being said, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is a true delight to watch, start to finish. The story, performances and soundtrack had the entire theatre in tears by the end. A definite must-see (just make sure to bring the tissues!).
The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry plays at The Theatre Royal Haymarket until 18th April. Tickets: here.
Review: Bethany Chandler Photos: Tristram Kenton