Why Am I So Single?
Why Am I So Single? is the first show I've seen since moving to London and it was definitely a good choice. This is the second musical from the writing duo Marlow and Moss after Six The Musical, a show that I have seen 3 times! Just like Six, this show is a fun and feel-good production filled with catchy tunes and pop-culture references, making it a very enjoyable watch!
The show follows caricature self-inserts of Marlow and Moss, named Oliver and Nancy, as they discuss their everlasting single statuses while delaying writing their next musical. Nancy (she/her) is hung up on her ex and what could have been if she didn't dump him, and Oliver (he/them/her) is yet to have a partner due to the turbulent dating scene for gender non conforming individuals. The conclusion of the show follows both character's dating revelations and the inspiration to write the show itself.
What I Liked
The set and staging was very fresh and modern, likewise with the costuming. Throughout the show cast members would be part of the set, a fun costuming element that added interest to what otherwise may have been a lot of stationary 2 person scenes.
The cast, notably the Jo Foster (they/them) and Leesa Tulley (she/her) who played Oliver and Nancy, were spectacular. Every song felt electric and it felt like you could feel the cast's enjoyment radiating from the stage. Foster's performance of "Disco Ball" was my favourite from the show. The mid-act 2 number was like a runaway train, so much intensity and emotion, their performance was so captivating and honestly brought tears to my eyes.
The songs in general were all great tunes and the choreography was very fun, making the show an undeniably fun time.
What Wasn’t My Favourite
The songs were undeniably catchy, but there were a lot of similarities to the songs from Six!. Most obvious was "Meat Market" which felt very close to "Haus of Halbein" both in tone and tune. "Disco Ball", as I said, was my favourite, but it followed very closely after another solo number from Oliver, making one of the songs feel unneeded. I did really love "Just In Case", Nancy's big solo number from Act 1, but the 5 minute run time definitely began to drag.
The recurring issue with the show was the unneeded repetition or complexity. In my opinion, it needed one more revision to slim down and become more concise of a production. My biggest criticism is the choice to make the main characters meta representations of the writers instead of just their own original beings. Musical theatre composers and writers have been doing self-inserts forever, but the most successful don't tell the audience at the beginning that’s what they're doing. I was quite frustrated that, like Six!, the show had a habit of explaining to the audience what was going on and how to feel about it. I would have loved to just see a show about 2 friends discussing why they are (so) single, but instead had an awareness that they needed to write a musical which is the musical I was watching. It was very hat on a hat.
I say this opinion with the awareness that this choice was likely made from industry pressure to put a fun spin on the story, or create better branding, or secure a West End theatre without a very long workshop period, but I felt I could see Marlow and Moss's own creative flair being hidden by the meta winks to audience any time they would sing.
Overall
I did, undeniably have a wonderful time, and I want to see it again before it closes, but I can't say that it's a perfect show. I hope the show continues after its run on the West End, but I also hope future productions have a few revisions. What I most look forward to is what Marlow and Moss write next, in hopes they move away from purely commercially focussed synopses and towards what stories they really want to tell in their fashion.
