"tick, tick... BOOM!" - Bridge House Theatre - ★★★★ - Until October 27, 2019


Before there was Rent Jonathan Larson wrote tick, tick... BOOM! about a young composer facing his thirtieth birthday and wondering where his life was going. He is torn between the dreams of his writing the great musical of his generation, his girlfriend's desire to move out of NYC and settle down, and the example of his friend who has given up acting to succeed in the corporate world. This is a work that presents the existential dilemma of Jon (Alex Lodge) but also that of the generation coming of age in the 1990's, when personal crises are sadly put into perspective by the plague of AIDS. There is more than an echo of Jon's "God" Stephen Sondheim in Larson's work which can't help but recall the latter's Company. The quality of the songs vary but have some real highlights like "No More," "Sunday" and the superb "Why." If there is a weakness it might be in the thinness of the book, but this production makes it easy to overlook that. Alex Lodge displays amazing energy and is a believable Jon seeking his place in the world. Georgie Ashford as girlfriend, Susan, is outstanding and her ability to create a variety of characters is simply astounding. James Hume as best friend, Michael, hits just the right note, and it is refreshing to see his character not parodied for his life choices. Guy Retallack's direction is masterful filling a small space with lots of action and always keeping the audience's attention with the piece's lively pace. Jon's may be obsessed about the passage of time, but for the audience it flies by.

Reviewed by J.C.

 Our Score:  ☆☆☆☆ 

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WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
Until October 27, 2019
Tue - Sat: 7:30 pm, Sat: 4:30 pm & Sun: 5:30 pm
Bridge House Theatre
Nearest station: Penge West
Map & Location: 2 High St, London SE20 8RZ, UK

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