Quarter Life: musical life beyond the fringe draws in plank reviewer

Reviewers note: I am not a fan of musicals. I have performed in a few, designed several more and once upon a time I ran lights for a couple of the big ones in a city far, far away. When you hear the same songs night after night for months on end you begin to enter one of two categories: love, or hate. That’s when you know if you like musicals or not, there is no middle ground.

I was around the theatre when these folks were loading in for tech, I heard a few numbers being run, saw a couple of scenes. I thought to myself…”musicals…ugh”, but the cast was really nice and asked me to come see the show, I said I would, so I did.  Lo and behold, I had a great time.

Quarter life is a new musical from Chantal Forde and Neville Bowman with Nadia Hovan producing for Feisty Fairy. With quite a bit of musical theatre background between the three of them, their first collaboration should have a leg up. Make that a ‘high stepping, can-can kind of kick’ leg up, and you would be correct. Begun about 18 months ago with just a few ideas slowly winding their way around each other, (and some very shrewd last minute edits and tweaks) this tale tells the story of three twenty something artists, an outspoken editor of a gay magazine and an ‘invoice analyst for an international export company’. Chris is a photographer, who falls in love with Sue, the visual artist. Barry (the suit) is his brother and Julius (the activist) is his best friend. Rounding out the group is Amy, the dancer/waitress with somewhat supportive parent who is Sue’s best friend.

Following in the tradition of shows like Rent or Fame, we come into the story at a time when the characters are facing a ‘make it or break it’ scenario, or struggling with their pasts. The two, it seems, are inextricably linked. The opening number leads us into the first night of an art show where we are introduced to the individuals we’ll be following for the next 2 hours plus. (There is one 15-minute intermission) We watch as these people fall in (and out) of love, follow their dreams (whether others approve or not) and search to find a way back from decisions that they ultimately discover, are wrong (or right) for them. The plot may be nothing new, but the narrative is solid and the songs flow fairly seamlessly from and into the dialogue. And that good people, is one of the trickiest parts of a musical.

The voices, for the most part, are strong and clear, and in the intimate space of the Beaumont Stage, you can hear everything without any amplification.  At times I found the men’s voices were a little too powerful for the ladies, but in other moments there was a definite balance and the harmonies were perfect. The on-stage accompaniment of Neville Bowman was a nice touch and as long as you don’t sit directly in front of the speakers, it is not overpowering. With over 16 songs throughout the piece and a wide range of styles we are treated to many very funny, touching and poignant moments.

The setting is very minimal with only stage blocks for furniture and a single set of steps leading us off to Chris’s house, but the area is used well. Toss in a table that doubles as a desk and one of Amy’s diner booths and that’s pretty much it. I kept imagining the play outside the Fringe, with higher production values and a somewhat larger venue. It deserves it. And the rumour is, it may just get it. Keep your eyes open for a spring remount at Presentation House, but until then, you have a few more chances to catch this original piece at the Beaumont Stage. (316 west 5th @ Alberta) The show starts at 7:30 pm and there are three performances left. (fri/sat/sun)