A MUSICAL that was a box office hit on Broadway and in the West End comes to Bath Theatre Royal’s Ustinov Studio for Christmas, from Tuesday 25th November to Saturday 3rd January. The show, directed by Hal Chambers, is a co-production by Bath with Reading Rep and the Barn Theatre at Cirencester, where it delighted audiences during the autumn.

The Last Five Years, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, is a funny and heartfelt observation of a rollercoaster romance between a young writer, Jamie, and an aspiring actress, Cathy, on their five-year journey from blossoming romance and first dates, through their wedding day to their lives beginning to move in different directions.

Jamie’s side of the story starts at the beginning of their relationship, a time filled with the fizz of new romance and continues chronologically, while Cathy’s retelling begins at the end, poignantly reflecting on a lost love and moving back to the excitement of early dates and a shared future, their timelines crossing on their wedding day.

Martha Kirby, who plays Cathy, recently appeared as Eva Peron in Evita at Leicester’s Curve theatre, Raven in the UK tour of Bat Out Of Hell, Bella Cohen in Rags, and Sandy in the UK tour of Grease. Jamie is played by Guy Woolf, whose recent stage credits include As You Like It at the Globe Theatre, and a Broadway World award nomination for his appearance in The Cher Show.

Director Hal Chambers says: “I’ve wanted to direct The Last Five Years for more than 20 years. Though my background lies in classical adaptations and new writing, this is the one musical I’ve always dreamed of staging. I’m a passionate admirer of Jason Robert Brown’s extraordinary work – its storytelling, music, and emotional depth are unmatched. The narrative structure, with Cathy moving backwards through time and Jamie forwards, creates a compelling theatrical puzzle reminiscent of a Christopher Nolan film. It feels like a haunting memory play – dreamlike, poetic, and full of magical realism.”

Jason Robert Brown’s semi-autobiographical show reflects the experiences of all who have shared lives, romances, holidays and break-ups together. His other Tony Award-winning works include Parade and The Bridges of Madison County.

Photographs by Alex Tabrizi