- Review Date: 23rd April 2024 (Press Night)
- Venue: Criterion Theatre, London SW1
- Star Rating: *****
- Theatre: Criterion Theatre, London SW1
- Writers: Jim Barnes and Kit Buchan
- Director: Tim Jackson
- Cast: Dujonna Gift (Robin) & Sam Dutty (Dougal)
- Production: Tim Johanson Productions, Glass Half Full Productions and Jamie Wilson Productions presented a Kiln Theatre production
It’s Christmas time. We’re in New York. Or are we in London? What the ‘Two Strangers (Carrying a Cake Across New York)’ audience soon realise is they’re viewing an airport set piled high with suitcases interestingly displayed all over the centre of the stage going around and around on a revolving carousel.
You hear a radio playing the news – one minute clearly from New York, the next it’s obviously London news. That sets the scene perfectly for this transatlantic two hander rom-com featuring just an Englishman Dougal (Sam Dutty) and Robin, the New Yorker (Dujonna Gift, actually a Londoner but you’d never know so convincing is her accent) who meet up in order to execute their various assignments. They are the two strangers, the two protagonists of this musical. In traditional rom-com style, whilst minding their own business, they just randomly bump into each other at the airport and from this interaction the story really takes off on the journey (part 1 of it) towards understanding the assignment of this musical’s curious and ever so memorable show title.
Two Strangers is a classic rom-com and all too rarely seen example of the genre in live theatre. I can’t in fact recall any previous on stage original, British rom-com musical or play, so this musical is really quite the novelty. If you love rom-com’s you’ll be absolutely thrilled by this as not only does it tick a lot of the rom-com boxes, it actually is especially appealing in the way it isn’t a stereotypical rom-com thanks to it’s highly original story.
Dujonna Gift (Robin) and Sam Dutty (Dougal)
Dougal is a youthful (20 something), exuberant, excitable man on his first trip to the Big Apple – a city he feel’s so familiar and in love with having seen it from afar in numerous films and TV shows. He can’t wait to go, but is just as excited by the reason for the trip – meeting up with his father … whom he’s never met before.
Two Strangers is effectively a musical love letter to New York, an homage to the rom-com Hollywood genre the debut musical writers Jim Barnes and Kit Buchan set out to convey.
Fairly early on the audience is treated to the gorgeous song ‘New York’ – by a country mile the stand out, hit song of the musical, sung by Sam Dutty. It is so beautiful and such fun to hear his sensational voice belting out this song. It’s a true showstopper in every sense of the word by way of its heartfelt and funny lyrics allied to the smooth texture of Dutty’s voice. It almost got a standing ovation in itself such was the clapping, cheering and hollering at the end of the song. Note, this was just 15 minutes into the show!
From hereon we see the development of the almost love-hate (more annoy than hate really) relationship between Robin and Dougal as they get acquainted with one another and the unique situation they find themselves. They tell their story through a mix of straight acting, song and an abundance of jokes. The chemistry and banter between them is a joy to observe. It’s difficult to stop smiling as you see their relationship develop and circumstances of the trip unfold over time – to be precise, over the 72 hours Dougal has to be in New York. Literally the definition of a flying, whirlwind visit. It’s a real joy watching 20/30 something Robin navigating how best to deal with her over excitable singing, over cheerful, over familiar ‘new cousin’ from England. The moments when – having got a handle of who Dougal is – she senses he’s about to burst into song (this is a musical after all) and stops him in his tracks had the audience cheerily laughing away.
Dougal is generally dressed in jeans and a track suit for the most part; Robin mostly in casual wear also. Nothing too fancy. She works in a downtown coffee shop. Dougal has a regular job back home too. Just two ordinary people meeting in extraordinary circumstances with a couple of major assignments, primarily revolving, like the onstage carousel, around carrying a cake across New York.
I think the suitcases set was a great prop. They represented travel and baggage. The play focuses a lot on travel – the journey Dougal’s made, others in the play have made and the emotional baggage being verbally unpacked in Act II.
Dujonna Gift (Robin)
Robin’s voice is quite the joy when singing in a more traditional West End musical style. There’s a humourous, lyrical richness to many of the songs sung – particularly the more wordy one’s – almost not really designed with song in mind. The length of them and jokes within them come out of nowhere creating laughter all around the Criterion theatre.
After the highs of Act I, early on in Act II the show takes an about turn with some surprising twists. It’s abundantly clear following a big night on the town (living the high live on Dougal’s rich dad’s credit card!) that the pair are the worst for wear and perhaps because of the drink consumed the home truths start to spill out and fractures in the relationship kick in. It’s quite shocking and melancholic after what’s been offered in Act I. The pathos of these scenes in vivid, Black and white contrast to the effervescence of what preceded it, was effortlessly oozing out of Gift and Dutty’s acting. It’s a truly novel story and how it develops keeps you hooked in anticipation of the big reveal.
Despite the pathos there were still plenty of humour and laughter to be had along the way as the mystery around the “assignment” unfolds. Robin also had her musical soliloquy showpiece song. These soliloquy’s really lifted the play to another level and really hold the play together, solidifying key themes around love, family and relationships. I actually found this to be around 60:40 straight play versus musical.
It’s remarkable that two characters and such a relatively simple set (full of pleasant surprises) can hold the attention so well for two hours. That puts a lot of demand on the two actors – emotionally and physically to carry the entire performance. That isn’t easy.
Additionally it doesn’t feel as if you’re watching a show featuring just two characters. You can picture all the other characters – in your own head as you don’t see the others referred to – the sister, mother, father etc… Nor do you miss them either – it works perfectly well without their presence on stage, leaving you to focus solely on the two strangers in front of you.
The show closed with a richly deserved standing ovation. Rather than the traditional curtain calls it would have been entirely fitting to close the show with an encore of ‘New York’ the showstopper from Sam Dutty.
Two Strangers is a river overflowing with so much warmth, humour and feel good currents that it had me happily smiling broadly and contentedly for much of the performance. In these serious times that we live in Two Strangers was two hours of pure escapism in Piccadilly Circus, right in the heartbeat of London’s West End. For a rom-com centred around love it was apt that it is being staged at the closest West End theatre to the statue of Eros (Greek God of love and sex) –The Criterion. You can literally see the statue from the theatre.
New York’s known as a city full of hope and potential. Where people who’ve dreamt big go to fulfil their dreams. It’s also can be the graveyard where dreams can be shattered. Will Dougal’s dream’s be fulfilled or shattered? You’ll have to see it to find out.
Even if you’re not into musicals or theatre, I guarantee, if you are a fan of rom-com’s or just great, original stories, you’ll love this show. The music and singing’s great; acting first class; the set a joy and the story is so original and incredibly well told by two wonderful actors Dujonna Gift and Sam Dutty whose singing, comic timing and overall acting as their relationship ebbs and flows like the tide is wondrous. Treat yourself to the (Dujonna) gift that keeps on giving that is Two Strangers.
This is a truly great show and all the more amazing as it’s not from seasons musicals writers but written by two men producing their debut musical – Jim Barnes and Kit Buchan.
This year the Criterion Theatre celebrates it’s 150th year. That’s an incredible achievement and milestone. Congratulations to all who have managed, run and worked in the theatre over all those years. I don’t know if this musical, whose origins date back to 2016 will be around in another 150 years (it’s current run is set to end on 31st August 2024) but I definitely think it deserves to run not just for months, but for many years to come.
To date Two Strangers have carried a cake across Northampton to Ipswich to Kilburn and now to Piccadilly Circus in London’s West End. That’s quite the journey in 6 years from 2018-2024. Where will this cake end up? Surely this has to end up on Broadway one day! Here’s looking at you kid.
The current run was set to end on 4th July 2024 but just a few days after press night it was extended to 31/08/2024 – instant evidence to just how popular it’s West End transfer has already been.
Further information and tickets
©Tiemo Talk of the Town
Photos © Criterion Theatre
Links:
- Love Steps, Omnibus Theatre review – 07/04/2024
- Shifters, Bush Theatre review – 07/04/2024
- Black Out Theatre Nights: To Black Out Or Not To – That is the Question? Tiemo Opinion piece – 03/04/2024
- This Might not be It, Bush Theatre Review – 04/03/2024
- For Black Boys, Garrick Theatre review – 20/02/2024
- Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), Kiln Theatre review – 20/01/2024
- Typical, Soho Theatre review – starring Richard Blackwood. Directed by Anastasia Osei-Kuffour – 28/09/2019
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