ROMANCE ROMANCE

A review by Julie Fisher

In the charming setting of the Above the Stag Theatre in Vauxhall, Tony-nominated Broadway musical Romance Romance has been given a queer makeover by director Steven Dexter.

Each act is a separate musical, with the same small cast taking on first the ennui of the aristocracy in late nineteenth century Vienna, and then a modern-day Hamptons retreat. The titular theme of romance, and by association love, carries through both acts.

The first act, The Little Comedy, opens in high society Vienna at the turn of the nineteenth century. We are introduced to Alfred Von Wilmers (Blair Robertson) and Valentin Weninger (Jordan Lee Davies), who have grown tired of their rich lovers and are in need of some excitement.

Thus begins the age-old tale of lovers meeting while in disguise, the initial glee at their cleverness in tricking one another giving way to an internal battle over whether or not to reveal their secrets.

The act is sparse on dialogue, with most of the spoken lines (and many of the songs) delivered in the form of letters dictated to friends.

Although the two remaining cast members are frequently on stage, they are often masked to underpin the theme of disguise. Ryan Anderson does do a spectacular turn as Max, Alfred’s former lover, early in the performance, hinting at excellent things to come in the second act.

The first act is, as its title suggests, a comedy, but after the interval we move into much more emotional territory. Two couples head to the Hamptons for a ‘Summer Share’ (also the title of the act and its opening song).

It is quickly apparent that all is not as it should be. Cracks are appearing in the couples’ marriages and the friendship between Sam (Alex Lodge) and Jeremy (Ryan Anderson) is giving way to temptation.

Their husbands Ben (Jordan Lee Davies) and Leonard (Blair Robertson) appear only in the background, powerless to intervene as their suspicions become closer to reality.

The tension builds as seemingly innocuous conversations become steadily more charged, only to be abruptly broken with a comic moment as Ben and Leonard appear dramatically aged up to sing ‘My Love For You’. Although somewhat out of left field, this was one of my favourite moments of the entire performance.

Despite a few questionable harmonies and the periodic interruption of trains passing overhead, I would thoroughly recommend Romance Romance for an alternately fun and heartfelt look at relationships.