The Jonathan Larson Project

There is something wonderfully bittersweet about The Jonathan Larson Project. On one hand, it is an exhilarating celebration of one of musical theatre’s most distinctive voices; on the other it serves as a poignant reminder of what an immeasurable loss Jonathan Larson’s untimely death was to the world of musical theatre.

This revue delves into the songs that Larson wrote throughout his career, many of them unheard or little known, offering a fascinating insight into the themes and musical styles that obsessed him long before his defining masterpiece Rent. Love, ambition, frustration, social injustice and the search for connection all echo through this assembled score, revealing a writer whose voice was already remarkably assured and whose creative journey felt as though it had only just begun.

The production itself is stylishly staged under the tight direction of John Simkins, allowing the songs to take centre stage without too much over embellishment. This is in effect a concert with clever shifting from one number to the next with pace and slickness. Southwark Playhouse proves an ideal home for the material creating exactly the right atmosphere for the intimate and emotionally directness of Larson’s work.

The cast of five ( Max Harwood, Imelda Warren Green, Marcus Collins, Natalie Kassanga and Michael Mather) are quite simply exceptional. Every performer brings their own remarkable commitment, vocal assurance and emotional truth to the material. Each song feels like a fully realised story in its own right. Giving so many moments that linger long after the final curtain. Their generosity towards one another creates an infectious sense of collaboration that perfectly honours Larson’s work.

With the opening and closing moments relying on a projection at the back of stage it’s a shame that the seating in the theatre means that some seats on the extreme ends miss out, which undoubtedly detracts from what is a great evening.

This production is both a celebration and an elegy, reminding us not only of the brilliance Jonathan Larson achieved, but of the extraordinary body of work the theatre world never had the chance to receive.


Photo credit: Danny Kaan