Millennials ★★★★ The Other Palace | Jul 8 - Aug 7, 2022


The stage is shaped like a large avocado and the audience is seated in bean bag chairs or lying in a ball pit. There are lots of little rubber ducks and Slinkys, and The Other Palace studio theatre is awash in pink. Set and lighting designer, Andrew Exeter, has created the perfect generational cocoon for the staging of Elliot Clay's pop song cycle Millennials. From Luke Bayer's touching first number in which he self-consciously reflects on his anxiety about being on stage, we are drawn into a world of doubt, disappointment and self-questioning that seems to characterise the generation born between 1981 and 1996. We have come a long way from the anthem of rebellion, optimism and assertion that was that other great generational musical, Hair. In her lovely rendition of "Masterpiece" Hannah Lowther makes almost a plea to be valued, and while Georgina Onuorah does a great job of rousing the audience there is always an undertone of sadness. Indeed, the haunting musings about broken love affairs and Luke Latchman's wry contrasting of his current life with that of his former school bully simply affirm the theme of aspiration and disillusion that is woven through the piece. For us, a definite highlight was Rob Madge's hilarious "Four Little Words." Its commentary on the ultimate sin of this generation, when self-awareness becomes self-absorption, was spot on. All in all, Millennials has both insight and humour. It captures the challenges faced by its demographic, but in the end, also proudly proclaims their resilience.

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Mark Senior.

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Map & Location: 12 Palace St, London SW1E 5BJ, UK

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