The Little Big Things is currently running at @sohoplace, and I managed to catch the show in late December 2023.
It’s inspired by Henry Fraser’s memoir detailing his change of life from rugby athlete to wheelchair user after a holiday accident.
Henry has to face the fact he will never walk again, while his three brothers have to move past their guilt at what they see as something they caused to happen.
The music is by Nick Butcher, who co-wrote the lyrics with Tom Ling. There are moments of vibrancy which fit a very physical, heartwarming, and positive show.
You may not be clear listening to the cast recording that there are two Henrys – before and after the accident – but with this in mind, some tracks might make more sense.
As this musical often has dialogue within the songs, you can follow the plot very easily, rather than enjoying the album simply as standalone numbers.
You can do this, too, of course, but without the visuals, you will have a very different experience. I found myself taking a deeper interest in the songs on their own.
This is a feel-good show that as a listening experience has a similar vibe to Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
It’s a show that will leave you smiling and maybe losing a tear or two. These are storytelling songs rather than a more abstract set of lyrics.
Cast: Jonny Amies/Ed Larkin (Henry), Jordan Benjamin (Dom, brother), Rebecca Bowden (Surgeon), Jamie Chatterton (Tom, brother), Alasdair Harvey (Andrew, father), Linzi Hateley (Fran, mother), Gracie McGonigal (Katie), Tom Oliver (Marco), Malinda Paris (Dr Graham), Cleve September (Will, brother) and Amy Trigg (Agnes).
***.5
The House With Chicken Legs ran at the Southbank Centre during December 2023, and the blurb said “do your best to catch this story of a house that won’t stand still, and a young girl trying to find her feet – in a show featuring puppets, projection and live music.”
Sadly I was unable to find space to see this one, but listening to the original London cast recording (now available on all major platforms) is the next best thing.
“Marinka dreams of a normal life, where she can stay somewhere long enough to make friends. But there’s one problem – her house has chicken legs and moves on without warning.
Based on Sophie Anderson’s much-loved novel, the story follows Marinka, a young girl trying to find her feet when her home is quite literally pulled from under her.”
With songs by Alexander Wolfe & Oliver Lansley (who also adapted the book) this musical employs so much energy and variety in the music.
You have pop, soul, rap, and much more, appealing to all ages and offering a standalone experience even if you don’t know the book, described as a ‘middle-grade fantasy’ or the show.
I can tell this was a lot of fun. I hope it returns as the photographs look as entertaining as this album. Inspired by Baba Yaga tales, Anderson’s 2018 book is an easy proposition to make into a musical as its fantastical twists and turns are made for the experience.
Marinka’s Baba (grandmother) cares for the spirits heading to the afterlife. The music in this recording often has an ethereal, other-worldly or even spiritual tone, and Wolfe balances this perfectly with the more bizarre elements of a folk tale.
There is also a hint of romance as Marinka and Ben make that innocent teen connection, but that isn’t the most interesting bit of the drama for me, although they sing the title song as a nice enough duet before everyone else joins in.
Cast: Eve de Leon Allen (Marinka), Lisa Howard (Baba), Dan Willisas (Jackdaw), Michael Barker (Ben), Elouise Warboys (Nina), Stephanie Levi-John (Yaga). Produced by Les Enfants Terribles.
***
Image credit: Pamela Raith, Andrew AB