Composer, writer and lyricist Olly Novello’s soaring, bombastic scores are a highlight in this unbalanced yet promising new musical
Exploring the angst and anxiety of first loves and the end of childhood that comes with going to Uni, The Verge of Forever depicts the journey of two young adults, Leo (Finlay McKillop– covering for Novello) and Marie (Scarlett Ayers) in the development of their relationship and their taking of those first tentative steps towards adulthood.
Billed as “The Drama School Audition Musical”, The Verge of Forever is a new work by Olly Novello – no relation, although one supposes he’s aiming for heights at least as high as his namesake Ivor – journeying through a relationship with the backdrop of drama school auditions, Covid-19 and *Teen Angst*. There is definitely something sweet about the fervour and excitement we see in Leo (a sometimes over-enthusiastic but otherwise charming Finlay McKillop) as he haphazardly discovers the peaks and pitfalls of modern dating. The world-conquering energy and ambition which both young lovers, Leo and his soon-to-be girlfriend, Marie (Scarlett Ayers, assured but often eclipsed) hold for their future is heartening, and the piece interestingly also provides a comment on the push-pull relationship that many young people experience when forging their lives outside of social media, as well as still being beholden to and influenced by it.
Whilst there were many things to praise in this production – not least Novello’s extremely accomplished score – there were also a great deal that require further development. As a whole, the piece felt disjointed and undercooked. Many of the songs felt as if they came from differing productions and there was a distinct lack of cohesion.
A notable exception to this, however, was with “The Instagram Tango” and its subsequent reprise, and it would be lovely to see further iterations of this show where songs provide more of a musical throughline. Nevertheless, while many of the songs felt like excellent standalone pieces, they often failed to move the plot forward in any meaningful way. Gerry Tebutt’s direction felt slight, and while some of the lighting choices are very effective, the set didn’t help the story and often felt like more of a place for the actors to wait when they aren’t singing. There was also a lack of specificity in the writing which made understanding the characters and their motivations more challenging, and Marie specifically felt like her character needed to be more deeply explored.
That being said, in presenting a play exploring first loves, the tendency towards melodrama was hugely enjoyable and the energy that both McKillop and Ayers brought to their internal turmoil was wonderful. Whereas their connection didn’t really fizz with the ecstatic bumbling of a first relationship, separately their explorations of audition or Instagram related internal strife were affecting. A distinct high point was Leo’s *entire future* depending on his A-Level results and the stakes that were created by this – a position that from the vantage point of hindsight seems illogical whilst still being extremely relatable.
All in all, this is a promising piece, executed by precocious young people, which requires more time and more development, but exactly the same amount of passion and fervour that has already been brought to the table. I’m excited to see how this piece develops and what everyone involved does next.
The Verge of Forever is running until the 20th August in the Studio at The Other Palace.