Mark Ludmon reviews Troubadour Stageworks' original new musical 89 Nights at C Too at Edinburgh Fringe
89 Nights C Too, Edinburgh Fringe
Four stars
New musical 89 Nights may have a cast of eight but, with its energy and pace, it feels like it could be 80. Presented by Bristol-based Troubadour Stageworks, it is a simple tale of a young woman, Alice, who arrives in New York City for the first time with a visa waiver of just 90 days, giving her 89 nights to experience the city. Although on a tourist visa, she works as a nanny for the brattish children of dysfunctional couple Sheila and George but the heart of the story is Alice's friendship with local lad Ben who shares his love for NYC with her.
The ambiguous relationship between the two young people is really only one part of this show where the biggest love story is between the writers and New York City itself. From the moment we meet Alice landing at JFK Airport, the show gives us a frenetic whistle-stop tour of life in the Big Apple, from the subway and sidewalks to the parks and theatres. The energy rarely lets up, most notably in an impressively timed sequence that switches frantically between a Thanksgiving family party and real-life British-themed West Village cafe Tea & Sympathy.
The original score by composers Fintan Kelly and Tom Tanner is full of catchy melodies and delightful arrangements matched by smart lyrics by Clare Packham and Mingma Hughes who is also credited for coming up with the original concept. With a small band on soundtrack, the show features a range of contemporary musical theatre styles that will particularly appeal to fans of composer Jason Robert Brown.
The songs are complemented by equally energetic choreography, sometimes shifting into Broadway pastiche, such as the joyful "New York, New York City". But there are more thoughtful moments with some touching solos for Ben and Alice and the pleasing duet, "Everything's Fine". Focused on Alice's journey to find herself and her direction in life, 89 Nights is a little short on plot, teasing us with a lack of detail about what she and Ben mean to each other, but it still packs a lot into 50 minutes. With its infectious energy and talented young cast, this is a sparkling gem of a musical that will put a smile on your face.
Running to 27 August 2018
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Mark Ludmon has been a journalist for over 20 years, specialising in writing about theatre and the arts as well as bars, pubs and drink. He has been on the theatre judging panel for London’s Olivier Awards and has a masters degree in English literature, specialising in Elizabethan and Jacobean drama. He has an MA in theatre research, criticism and dramaturgy from the University of London’s Royal Central School of Speech & Drama. You can find him tweeting about theatre as @MarkLudmon and writing about theatre at markludmon.com.
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