The Mad Ones – Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

Picture: Shipwreck Productions

The Mad Ones continues at the Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham until 20 April 2024.

Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

We already know that Birmingham has a great theatre scene, with the Hippodrome and Alexandra Theatres showing the major touring shows and also the Repertory Theatre putting on a varied range of productions. -Perhaps not as well known is the Old Joint Stock Theatre, which boasts a commitment to delivering high-quality shows that you may not know so well, in its intimate performance space located above the pub beneath. Following its charming seasonal production of Our Christmas Carol late last year, the venue has clearly been working hard on its latest offering, the American musical The Mad Ones, making its UK premiere here.

The show sees high school valedictorian Sam (played by Dora Gee) struggling with the decision of which college path she should pursue. Her controlling mother Beverly (Thea Jo-Wolfe) insists that she follow the same Ivy League route that she took, while her free-spirited best friend Kelly (Safia Bartley) encourages her to go to the same state school as her so that the two of them can have more exciting adventures together. Kelly is a force of nature and a key influence in Sam’s life, being the one who always goes against the grain and beyond others’ expectations of her, so when Kelly’s life is tragically taken in a car accident, Sam finds herself lost and looking at an uncertain future that she doesn’t know how to navigate.

We need to be hugely grateful to Fringe venues like the Old Joint Stock for their tenacity and creativity in risking producing shows that audiences are less aware of, and the gamble has really paid off this time.

Similar in musical style to the work of Jason Robert Brown (The Last Five Years, Songs For a New World) and Pasek and Paul (Dear Evan Hansen), The Mad Ones is one of the strongest contemporary scores we’ve heard in recent years and engages you from the start. Its composers (Kait Kerrigan and Bree Lowdermilk) know their way around a melody and a catchy hook, and its mix of piano ballads and more up-tempo numbers is immediately likeable, threatening to only grow with repeated listens. Fans of belting female vocals certainly won’t be disappointed with plenty of soaring high notes, while also nicely balanced with quieter softer moments. Lyrics are poetic, insightful and hugely relatable, as is the story as a whole. We’ve all had moments in our lives where we’re unsure of what path to take next and that fear of looking out into the unknown, and The Mad Ones explores this beautifully.

The show’s direction (Emily Susanne Lloyd) is inventive and playful, and you can feel the love these creatives have for the material. The intimate performance space suits the show perfectly, getting us right up close to these characters’ lives and feeling fully invested in their stories within moments of the show starting. Being so close to the performers gives the show its power, as you see every facial expression, from lost eyes to tender lips quivering, and you feel every intention behind them. The staging may be minimal but it’s cleverly done, mostly set on a small platform of car seats which is repurposed for other locations as required, and a bold background of shattered glass (by set designer Tom McVeigh) acts as a constant eye-catching reminder of the shattering event that triggered Sam’s descent into uncertainty.

The Mad Ones is a vocal rollercoaster, and an exceptional cast is assembled here to deliver it. Gee leads the show as Sam, and she is extraordinary, that rare combination of superb actor and singer, able to combine both effortlessly. She charms those in the audience from the outset, making them feel for her instantly. Gee performs like a young Rachel Tucker, having that gift of being able to act through song and being equally skilled in bold belting and tenderness, and she will be a star.

She is ably supported by the rest of the cast who also excel: Bartley brings fire and sass to Kelly and backs it up with another cracking voice, and Jo-Wolfe also puts in a commanding turn as Sam’s mother Beverly, initially bringing the humour and later pathos as she reveals the fears that make her want to protect her daughter.

Finally, Ryan Bartholomew is wonderful as Sam’s endearing boyfriend Adam, an Andrex puppy of nervous energy and he plays it brilliantly, also sounding terrific in ‘Run Away With Me’ which is one of the standout songs from the show. All of the performers are fantastic, and the only (minor) niggle with the production is that the songs don’t end in a way that signals that it’s okay for the audience to applaud, as these performances really do deserve that immediate recognition rather than waiting until the end of each act.

The Mad Ones is small in scale but huge in heart, and an absolute joy to watch. James Edge, theatre manager for the Old Joint Stock, clearly has a huge passion for musical theatre, championing Fringe venues and bringing lesser-known titles such as this one to a wider audience. He has some exciting plans for the rest of the year which are soon to be announced (including the UK premiere of Broadway hit First Date, showing in August and bookable now), and looks set to make the Old Joint Stock a key player in Birmingham’s theatre scene. The venue is intimate and inviting, and with shows as good as The Mad Ones to see, you’d be “mad” yourself not to pay it a visit.

Rob Bartley