Without – New Wimbledon Theatre Studio

Without at New Wimbledon Theatre Studio’s From The Fringe Festival.

Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩

This sweet little mini-musical stopped off at Wimbledon on the way to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, an earlier version of Ben Tomalin’s original story having been premiered at The Vaults last year.

At just an hour long, it doesn’t outstay its welcome and it is easy to understand the love Without holds for its young creative team. Henry is a busker strumming his guitar and singing his own songs on a street corner; Rose is wandering about looking lost while waiting for her girlfriend to phone and knowing she never will.

When they get chatting, we learn that Henry is Mr Carter who used to teach music at the school Rose attended. He has lost his job and his family after marrying young and finding himself unable to cope with the baby they had all too quickly and the responsibilities that came with it. Not mature enough to accept the lifestyle changes, he hit the drink.

Henry and Rose help each other get over their problems in this tale of kindness, the power of music to heal and understanding. Reluctant singer Rose makes progress under Henry’s tutelage and by the end surprises us with her rise in confidence.

Tomalin has written some pleasing songs for the two leads, Darragh Chaplin and Marianne Steggall, notably ‘What If?’, ‘Open Your Eyes’ and the second part of ‘Goodbye’ after Rose discovers she has a voice after all.

But the best voice on display belongs to Alex Morton, once Henry’s star pupil and showing why on her powerhouse solo ‘Smile’. Liv Koplick, Sarah Craig and Anna Toogood complete an enthusiastic cast, some of them making their pro debuts.

But diction, particularly with the spoken word, needs improving if the show is to have legs. Even seated in the second row, I struggled to catch all the words.

Multi-tasking Maisie Fawcett has not only co-written the script with Sophie Holmes but is also responsible for the direction and choreography. Tomalin on keyboards and drummer Josh Leigh make the music in what is very much a work in progress. This was just a preview and a more polished product is promised for the show’s run at Underbelly at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August.

Jeremy Chapman