Podcast Summary: MickeyJoTheatre – "The Last Five Years" Broadway Review
Episode: The Last Five Years starring Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren (Hudson Theatre, Broadway) - ★★ REVIEW
Release Date: April 15, 2025
Host: MickeyJoTheatre (Mickey Jo)
Introduction
In this episode, Mickey Jo delivers a critical review of the Broadway production of The Last Five Years at the Hudson Theatre, starring Nick Jonas as Jamie Wellerstein and Adrienne Warren as Kathy Hyatt. Known for his expertise in theatre criticism, Mickey Jo delves deep into the various elements of the production, highlighting its shortcomings despite the strong source material.
Overview of "The Last Five Years"
The Last Five Years is a contemporary musical by Jason Robert Brown that explores the rise and fall of a five-year relationship between Jamie Wellerstein, a successful author, and Kathy Hyatt, a struggling actress. The narrative uniquely alternates perspectives: Jamie's story progresses chronologically, while Kathy's unfolds in reverse, starting from their breakup and moving backward to their initial meeting.
Mickey Jo:
"The musical was first seen in the early 2000s regionally and then Off Broadway with Sherry Renee Scott and Norbert Leo Butz... it's never been produced on Broadway. Perhaps because of its limited length and its two-person cast." [05:30]
Production Details
Directed by Whitney White, this Broadway rendition brings star power with Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren. However, Mickey Jo questions the casting choice, suggesting that despite both actors’ prior stage experiences, they may not be suited for the nuanced demands of this musical.
Mickey Jo:
"Slightly puzzling casting from the outset, but both of whom have been seen on stage before. Would they prove themselves capable in this challenging show?" [04:15]
Direction and Staging
Whitney White's direction is a focal point of Mickey Jo's critique. He finds the production's staging confusing and inconsistent, detracting from the storytelling.
Key Points:
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Narrative Confusion: The production struggles to convey the dual timelines effectively, leading to audience bewilderment.
Mickey Jo:
"All of the traditional storytelling tools... are absent from this production or actively undermined in the original staging." [12:45] -
Graphic Elements: The use of projected graphics like "his" and "hers" is seen as desperate and unhelpful.
Mickey Jo:
"They project the words his and hers like you're shopping for towels at a department store." [10:50] -
Set Design: Minimalistic and inconsistent, with moving elements that fail to clarify the timelines.
Mickey Jo:
"There's a small representation of the New York skyline... it's impossible to distinguish and clarify the two separate timelines." [25:30]
Performances
Nick Jonas as Jamie Wellerstein
Mickey Jo is particularly critical of Nick Jonas’s performance, citing both vocal and acting shortcomings.
Key Criticisms:
-
Vocal Technique: Lacks the depth and control required for the emotionally charged songs.
Mickey Jo:
"He has relatively incapable vocal technique, and he brings a kind of a boy band pop quality to a lot of the score." [35:20] -
Emotional Delivery: Struggles to convey the character’s emotional complexity, resulting in a flat and unengaging portrayal.
Mickey Jo:
"He sounds capable enough in terms of the range. He can hit the notes, he can't sustain the long notes. That's embarrassing." [38:10] -
Character Portrayal: Depicts Jamie as overly intense and unlikable, undermining his character's depth.
Mickey Jo:
"It feels like it's sung with the intensity of a man who's about to kill her." [40:05]
Adrienne Warren as Kathy Hyatt
Adrienne Warren receives a more nuanced critique. While acknowledged for her vocal prowess, Mickey Jo feels her portrayal lacks depth and emotional range.
Key Criticisms:
-
Emotional Range: Portrayed as overly simplistic, oscillating between ecstatic happiness and desperate sadness without the necessary complexity.
Mickey Jo:
"She's only ever giving us happy or sad throughout the show. She's a very uncomplicated Kathy, and that's not something that I want from an actress as skilled as Adrienne Warren." [50:45] -
Missed Opportunities: Fails to fully explore Kathy’s frustrations and inner turmoil, making her character less relatable and dynamic.
Mickey Jo:
"I would like to see a little more passion about the relationship rather than this kind of emotionally fragile girl who just really loves him and then is really sad when he says that he's leaving." [54:30]
Script and Lyrics Changes
The production introduces several alterations to the original script and lyrics, which Mickey Jo finds unnecessary and sometimes detrimental.
Notable Changes:
-
Lyric Alterations: Some lyrics have been updated for modern relevance, while others lose their original impact.
Original Lyric:
"If you once were in jail or you once were a man."Changed Lyric:
"If your father sold Viagra on the Internet." [60:15] -
Modern References: Updated cultural references, such as replacing "Linda Blair" with "Nene Leakes," attempt to resonate with contemporary audiences but sometimes miss the mark.
Mickey Jo:
“...the lyric used to be 'every girl would look like Mr. Ed.'” [70:40] -
Technological Updates: Changing "What's your address?" to "What's your email address?" reflects modern communication but lacks significance in the storytelling.
Mickey Jo:
"It's just a cute little updating. There’s not a very strong sense of when the show is set." [65:00]
Set and Design
Mickey Jo critiques the set design for its lack of clarity and thematic coherence.
Key Points:
-
Limited Space Utilization: The Broadway stage, known for its grandeur, feels underutilized with sparse and confusing set pieces.
Mickey Jo:
"The show still does not feel big enough for a Broadway stage." [30:25] -
Inconsistent Visuals: Elements like revolving circles and unmarked timelines contribute to the audience’s confusion rather than aid the narrative.
Mickey Jo:
"The set design is really bizarre... it's supposed to signify their timelines but ends up being just confusing." [28:50] -
Lighting Design: Overuse of colors like blue and red without consistent thematic purpose muddles the visual storytelling.
Mickey Jo:
"They love blue and red... it just looked like a crime scene because of, like, police cars." [75:10]
Music and Orchestrations
While the original score by Jason Robert Brown is praised for its emotional depth and complexity, the production's new orchestrations receive mixed feedback.
Highlights:
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New Orchestrations: Some additions enhance certain scenes, such as the guitar solo and piano segments.
Mickey Jo:
"The new orchestrations sound great. The bowers music. The exit music at the end of the show. Stay for that." [35:50]
Criticisms:
-
Diluted Musical Impact: Splitting complex piano sections among various instruments diminishes their original intensity.
Mickey Jo:
"Whereas I got a singular impression that bit... it just doesn't feel quite as frenetic." [37:10]
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Mickey Jo concludes that despite the strong foundation of The Last Five Years, the Broadway production fails to capture its essence due to poor direction, inconsistent staging, and lackluster performances, particularly from Nick Jonas. Adrienne Warren's portrayal, while vocally strong, doesn't achieve the necessary emotional depth to balance the production.
Final Remarks:
Mickey Jo:
"For a show that's been this beloved for this long, it really does deserve better." [95:00]
"This is a show that did not work. But of course, as always, that is just my opinion and I would love to hear yours." [96:20]
He invites listeners to share their thoughts and reiterates his commitment to providing more theatre reviews in future episodes.
Key Quotes with Timestamps
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On Direction:
"This, for whatever reason, is not only blandly directed, it is entirely a mess." [15:10] -
On Nick Jonas’s Performance:
"He sounds capable enough in terms of the range. He can hit the notes, he can't sustain the long notes. That's embarrassing." [38:10] -
On Adrienne Warren’s Portrayal:
"She's a very uncomplicated Kathy, and that's not something that I want from an actress as skilled as Adrienne Warren." [50:45] -
On Set Design:
"There is this small representation of the New York skyline... it's impossible to distinguish and clarify the two separate timelines." [25:30] -
Final Verdict:
"This is a show that did not work." [95:30]
Closing
Mickey Jo wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to engage in the discussion and subscribe for more in-depth theatre reviews.
Mickey Jo:
"If you enjoyed this review and would like to hear more from me, make sure you're subscribed to my theatre themed YouTube channel or following me on podcast platforms." [99:00]
Overall Rating: ★★ (Two Stars)
MickeyJoTheatre's review offers a thorough and candid critique of the Broadway rendition of The Last Five Years, highlighting significant areas where the production falters despite its promising potential.