After the Tone, Bridewell Theatre

London Theatre; A rare indulgence

We all know what to expect of London tWest End theatre. Full houses, flamboyant sets, wonderful costumes and a showcase of talent. The hum of anticipatory chatter dying down as the lights dim, being transported to another place, another time. Its wonderful, but the contentment is always the same.

To enter the Bridewell Theatre, therefore, was a complete shock. Everything was silent, still. I was suddenly very conscious of the potential disruption the volume of my voice would make in such an intimate space. It seemed resonant with energy; stories untold, memories forgotten.

Perhaps this was the history of the St. Bride Foundation itself - once an old victorian swimming pool - that helped to create such an atmosphere. Or maybe it was the realization that both theatre and production had their own tales to tell…. It could have simply been an understandable sense of anticipation, but my expectations were high as we sat there in the dark..

Its nice to remember that I wasn’t disappointed.

After the Tone is centered around the story of the elusive Livi - beautiful, charming, adored by many…. or selfish, vain and uncaring? We never meet her, so its hard to know. For us, the characters portrayed by the four Storytellers are much more interesting. We become completely immersed in the lives of Dylan, Harry, Saffy and Louise - four individuals, who tell their own memories of Livi through a incredibly compelling mix of monologue and song. The connection between cast and crowd is so strong, that we are unconsciously drawn into the journey of the plot. We’re an audience of say 30 or 40 people, and we sit there on the edge of our seats, our attachment to the characters intensifying by the minute. But a wee bit more of that later.

Of course, it isn’t only atmosphere that made this show so moving. It is lucky to be supported by an incredibly strong, witty yet poignant script and truly unique music. Oliver Fenwick, composition, and Russell Thompson, libretto, have poured their heart and soul into this piece - a commitment that doesn’t go unnoticed. Their attention to detail is flawless, subtle - perhaps too much so for younger members of the audience - and the depth of understanding and development for each character is unquestionable. Throw in a 7 piece orchestra, and 4 extremely talented actors and the creators seem to have triumphed with their first musical .

Special mention should, without a doubt, go to the four storytellers whose energy and talent brought the show to life. Laura Jayne Matthewson gave a truly heart-rending performance as Louise - the childhood friend of Livi, dealing with depression. Innocent and empathic, with a voice that can only be described as exquisite, Laura’s songs “My only friend” and “This Pot Plant” provided the evening’s highlight. Sejal Keshwala simply maintained these highlights however, with her character Saffy - a young woman looking for love who meets Livi at the bus stop - a wonderful actress with the voice to match. Joseph Davenport portrayed the naive Harry - a college student caring for his grieving mother, desperate for freedom - with true sincerity, and a deep understanding of a very complex character. Chris Wheeler, as the boyfriend of Livi - Dylan, gave perhaps the most sympathetic approach to his character, and he visibly got stronger as the show progressed. Such a diverse range of characters, and yet they blended together perfectly.

So perhaps After the Tone won’t turn into a worldwide show-stopper like those Sondheims and Lloyd Webbers we all know so well. But in some ways, moving into the mainstream London theatres would take away the charm it could easily maintain in the small intimate spaces - very much like the one I visited tonight. Mystical creatures; historical settings; talking animals; can all be excluded in the place of this realistic yet simple, honest, and immensely powerful narrative.

Some aspect of tonight’s performance will have, undoubtably affected each and every member of the audience in a way we’re not likely to forget. We’ve traveled through Dylan’s frustration and adoration for the girl we never meet. Saffy keeps the spark alive, and we laugh with her - for who doesn’t empathize with the perplexing task of finding love? Louise has us desperate to offer her some form of consolation as she struggles with an inconceivable burden of painful emotions. And Harry simply grows up. His cheerful optimism and innocence makes him an in-depth and sympathetic character.

After the Tone changes our perspectives on; well everything really…

The tagline to After the Tone is “Stories don’t come true…”. Well, that may be, but for tonights audience I think it was quite the reverse.