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A CurtainUp London London Review
Love Story


Love means not ever having to say you're sorry. — Jennifer Cavilleri
Love Story
Emma Williams as Jenny and Michael Xavier as Oliver (Photo: Manuel Harlan)
From a sell out season at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester comes this musical adaptation of Erich Segal's novel Love Story made into a famous 1970 movie with Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal. At the Duchess Theatre, London it is almost like watching a concert performance of a musical with piano and band onstage and very little by way of props or changes of scene. The story holds no suspense as the show opens at the wake for this 25 year old girl, when Oliver (Michael Xavier) says " hat can you say about a twenty-five-year-old girl who died? That she was beautiful and brilliant? That she loved Mozart and Bach, the Beatles, and me?" Yet, in Chichester they were selling branded tissues for the inevitable sobbing at the end of the show.

There are tear jerking moments not just to do with the tragic death of a vibrant young woman but also in the handling of the rift and misunderstanding between Oliver Barrett the Fourth and his stuffy, upper class father Oliver Barrett the Third (Richard Corderey). However, there is something rather self conscious about a play designed to make you cry. You may have the tearful reaction but you may also resent the manipulation. The other problem I have with Love Story is the rapidity of the plot development. No sooner has our couple met than we seem to hear about her illness which we are all expecting because of the opening funeral. With the whole show just 90 minutes without an interval there is no time to be aware of the passing of five years between their first meeting and Jenny's funeral.

Howard Goodall's music is rather good with plenty of pretty tunes, albeit a tad derivative, varying between , moments reminding you of Sondheim and others of Lloyd Webber. The famous theme from the film is played by music student Jenny at a concert. The lyrics are for the main part disappointing although I did enjoy the song about Italian pasta ("Linguine, rigatoni, fettuccine, cannelloni" ) as Jenny's Italian heritage culinary skills are put to the test in the newlyweds' New York apartment. The white set has neo classical columns, a visual allusion to Oliver's affluent background.

Although the performances are very good the characterisation of Jenny Cavilleri is rather abrasive for English tastes and it's uncomfortable to hear Oliver repeatedly calling her "Bitch" and to a lesser extent, her calling him "Bastard.". I suppose this is true to the original but the abuse without wit detracts from the romance.

The class difference is summed up in the way that Jenny slurps on her soup spoon at the Barrett home while the rest of the family sip delicately while holding the spoon sideways. Emma Williams never seems totally comfortable with the American persona of the feisty Jennifer although she has a wonderful singing voice. Michael Xavier has an easier time as the about to be widowed Oliver. It helps that he's also a charismatic singer. Peter Polycarpou is very fine as Jennifer's widowed Italian father although the coincidence of leukaemia striking twice in one family seems improbable. Richard Corderey one again plays an inflexible and uptight character.

if you are not afraid of sentiment or if you adored the film, the musical Love Story will probably charm.

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Love Story
Music by Howard Goodall
From the novel by Erich Segal
Book and Lyrics by Stephen Clark
Directed by Rachel Kavanaugh

Starring: Emma Williams, Michael Xavier, Peter Polycarpou
With: Richard Corderey, Lillie Flyn, Jan Hartley, Paul Kermble, Christopher Killick, Gary Milner, Jamie Muscato, Julie Stark, Rebecca Trehearn
Designed by Peter McKintosh
Lighting: Howard Harrison
Musical Director: Stephen Ridley
Orchestrations: Howard Goodall
Sound: Matt McKenzie
Musical Staging: Lizzi Gee
Running time: One hour 30 minutes without an interval
Box Office: 0844 579 1973
Booking to 26th February 2011
Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge based on 7th December 2010 at the Duchess Theatre, Catherine Street, London WC2B 5LA (Rail/Tube: Charing Cross/Covent Garden)

Musical Numbers
  • Prologue
  • Jenny's Piano Song
  • Winter's Night
  • Piano Song (reprise)
  • Recital
  • What Happens Now?
  • Table Setting
  • Phil's Piano Song
  • Going Home
  • Summer's Day
  • Pasta
  • Everything We Know
  • Tide Has Turned
  • Nocturnes
  • Everything We Know (reprise)
  • What Can You Say?
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