A new gem is in town with the deeply poignant Your Lie in April, a musical based on the much-loved Japanese manga series. Directed and choreographed by Nick Winston, it is in the West End for just one more day.
Kōsei Arima (Zheng Xi Yong) was a child prodigy, winning piano contests and pushed by a perfectionist mother (Joanna Ampil). After her death, trauma has left him unable to ‘hear’ the music, so he doesn’t play.
When Kaori (Rumi Sutton), the new pupil at school, gives him purpose and interest again, a sweet and sentimental story unfolds, with light relief from Ryota (Dean John-Wilson) and unconditional friendship from Tsubaki (Rachel Clare Chan).
This is a high school musical set next to the cherry blossoms and rooted deep in Japanese culture of what is ‘perfect’ and appropriate. It has four adolescents in their last year following their own paths.
The songs composed by Frank Wildhorn (with lyrics by Carly Robyn Green and Tracy Miller) are varied, often with a rock beat, sometimes heart-aching ballads.
Sutton is particularly strong vocally, and Chan gives her character a childlike longing. Wilson has both the bluster of a soccer champ and a loving heart. Yong has the emotional heft to take what starts as quite a stuffy role to a finish that breaks your heart.
A surprise comes in act two with Kōsei’s piano recital that literally stops the show. From my stalls seat, I watched the conductor Chris Poon’s engagement with Yong and, in my row, could see and hear the pride and excitement of the main creatives and their guests.
Your Lie in April is a real joy to watch in (semi-staged) concert, with Rinne B Groff’s English language book giving a fresh and vital spin on young love and professional ambition.
A diverse cast of singer/dancers are lively and energetic with Ernest Stroud, Samuel How, and little Harrison Lui (in his stage debut, charming us at curtain call with an unscripted bit of body spinning) as young Kosei catching the eye.
This show feels as if it has a great future, with the key elements of love, competition, and teenage angst firmly in place. You don’t need knowledge of the manga series or live-action film adaptation to enjoy this.
At Drury Lane, the stage is full of colourful lights (design by Simon Sherriff) with ‘stars’ shooting across the ceiling at one point. There’s clever use of the auditorium boxes, and projected images are a shortcut to show the locations.
Whether in a school corridor, cafe, hospital, recital hall, or on the football field, we feel totally immersed in the action. With seventeen songs and several reprises, the earworm score leaves you smiling.
Your Lie in April may not have quite the ending you expect, but it will leave you thoroughly moved. I loved it – and can’t wait to see the next step on this show’s journey.
Your Lie in April is at Theatre Royal Drury Lane for two performances on 9 Apr. More details here.
Image credit: Mark Senior
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