Harry (Joseph Davenport) has been recalled from university in America to console his mother about his father. From his bedroom window, he sees Livi catch her bus every day, gets a crush on her, finally meets her. Waitress Saffy (Sejal Keshwala)'s job leaves no time to meet men for romance. She meets Livi at South American dance classes - is it love? Friendless Louise (Laura Jane Matthewson) works in a flower shop, goes alone to opera to escape her dull reality. Livi's her friend from childhood but just uses her - is it really a friendship? Dylan (Christopher Wheeler)'s gone out with Livi for years. Increasingly she's avoiding him - the end of love?

After The Tone tells this by song and speech, monologues by the four characters (Livi doesn't appear). There is an unseen live orchestra: Oliver Fenwick (conductor), Angela Jung (violin), Katya Lazareva (viola), Leon Lissner (bass), Kevin Smithers (guitar), Josh Spear (reeds), I-An Tai (cello), Chloe Weiss (keys). Act One is 54 minutes; there's a 24 minute interval; Act Two is 57 minutes; overall 111 minutes. It does feel longer.

After The Tone has the advantage of a good cast, good musicians, and good music, lyrics and libretto (Oliver Fenwick and Russell Thompson). Unfortunately, these do not make the material interesting or attention-grabbing, and there are no memorable songs to take away - which a musical does need. Part of the problem is the structure - the monologues flatten any potential dynamism. The monologues are often - unfortunately, because there is no doubting the enthusiasm of all involved - very, very boring. Partly this is due to the writing - pretty much every speech could do with a ruthless cliche edit, and polishing to give some sparkle. Partly it is content of the speeches - and they do feel like speeches - which cover a limited range of familiar situations. Love seeping out of a relationship, fathers not being there, fatal illness, loss, friends who use people, depression, people having sex with other people and the result hurting, are not new topics. Handled brilliantly they could produce brilliant results, but After The Tone is sadly brilliance-free. That is not to say that its creators and executors are not brilliant, just not tonight, and not in this production.

The show starts with a very dull speech over the public address system about people who don't get messages over mobile phones. It isn't obvious how it is relevant to what follows, and it gives a turgid, off-putting start. It's followed by a very long, very dull song about story-telling (The Storytellers' Welcome sung by the company). A lot of Dylan's action is by speeches into his phone, a difficult dramatic device to carry off without halting the flow of a play, but here repeated and - in a negative way - show-stopping each time it is used; a shame because Christopher Wheeler does his best to make Dylan a sympathetic character. Laura Jane Matthewson has a lovely voice, both in song and speech, and her character Louise does have a couple of affecting moments: eg her delight in nights alone at the opera. Sejal Keshwala makes On A (Non-Existent) Date into a better song than perhaps it is by elegant movement and giving the lyric and tune some oomph. Joseph Davenport gives Harry some depth with Things My Father Told Me, and it is a moving song, but it does - as do other characters, incidents and songs in the show - tip just too far into gooey sentiment. It's not to say that gooey sentiment is bad, but if done at all it does need to be done with panache, and After The Tone lacks that.

It would be great to be able to commend After The Tone because so much has obviously gone into it. Regrettably, it is not possible to do that, but without reflection on an undoubtedly dedicated, committed and enthusiastic company.

Song List (programme titles, in running order, sung by character names): Act One: The Storytellers' Welcome (Company). I Suggest A Holiday (Dylan). On A (Non-Existent) Date (Saffy). Things My Father Told Me (Harry). No Time In The Morning (Harry, Saffy, Dylan). My Only Friend (Louise). As Time Moves, He Waits (At The Cinema) (Company). Act Two: As Time Moves, He Waits (At The Station) (Dylan). Once Upon A Time (Harry). The Livi Tango (Saffy). The Boredom Lament (Company). My Absent Father (Harry). This Pot Plant (Louise). Things My Father Told Me - Reprise (Harry). The Storytellers' Goodbye (Company).

Cast Credits: (alpha order): Joseph Davenport - Harry. Sejal Keshwala - Saffy. Laura Jane Matthewson - Louise. Christopher Wheeler - Dylan.

Orchestra Credits (alpha order): Oliver Fenwick - conductor. Angela Jung - violin. Katya Lazareva - viola. Leon Lissner - bass. Kevin Smithers - guitar. Josh Spear - reeds. I-An Tai - cello. Chloe Weiss - keys.

Company Credits: Director - Oliver Fenwick. Music & Lyrics - Oliver Fenwick. Libretto - Russell Thompson. Additional Libretto - Oliver Fenwick. Orchestrator - Jonathan Orton. Musical Supervisor - Chloe Weiss. Musical Director - Oliver Fenwick. Lighting Designer - Gareth Wide. Sound Designer - uncredited. Technical Operator - uncredited. Stage Manager - Dominic Houlison. Programme Designer - Verity Davis. Rehearsal Photographer - Katharine Temple. Front of House - Christopher Booker. Front of House - Lorna Fenwick. Front of House - Katie-Rose Gilmore. Front of House - Oli Hatfield. Front of House - Katharine Temple. Full Fever Productions Company Founders - Oliver Fenwick & Russell Thompson. First Performance - Monday 2 August 2010. Producer - uncredited. Company - Full Fever Productions in association with The Bridewell Theatre. Website - www.fullfever.co.uk. Email - info@fullfever.co.uk.

Bridewell Theatre Credits: Manager- Lucy Hillard. Box Office - John Rankin. Hospitality - Mike Palmer. Website - www.bridewelltheatre.org.

Thanks To: Abacus Arts Ltd, Lucy Hillard & The Saint Bride Foundation, Starbucks Coffee Company, The Albany Pub, The Punch Tavern, Caroline Plant & The Manchester Airports Group, The ESNA Players, Mike Speight Photos, Verity Davis, Katharine Temple, Dan Hill, Automedia Printing Ltd, Holly & the NSDF Team, Leon Cafe.

END

John Park

reviewed Tuesday 3 August 2010 / Bridewell Theatre, London UK

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

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