Set in 2001, The Last Five Years‘ distinctive theatrical narrative follows the turbulent five-year relationship between struggling actress Cathy Hyatt (Tess Benger) and rising novelist Jamie Wallerstein (James Daly). In their mid-twenties, the couple really want to make their relationship work but can’t, with no blame on either of their shoulders.
Told through song, memory and time, Jamie’s story unfolds chronologically, starting after the couple meets on their first date. Cathy’s story is told in reverse, beginning with her reading a note from Jamie ending their marriage and walking out.
Jason Robert Brown’s musical, inspired in part by his own marriage and divorce, gained additional attention for the legal dispute that followed. That background informs the work without overwhelming this production’s emphasis on character, memory and musical storytelling.
Joshua Quinlan’s alley staging gives the audience clear sightlines from both sides of the Firehall Theatre. One end of the playing space suggests Jamie and Cathy’s compact apartment, with a Murphy bed, kitchen table, chairs and Jamie’s work desk; the other begins as the stoop of Jamie’s parents’ house and later adapts to other locations. Jeff Pybus’ lighting isolates the song-monologue moments effectively, while Richard Feren’s sound design maintains a clear balance between singers and band, an essential achievement in a sung-through musical.
Director Brett Christopher approaches the material with sensitivity and compassion, allowing the humanity of Cathy and Jamie to remain visible even as the relationship deteriorates. Rather than assigning blame, the production emphasizes how memory, timing and personal ambition shape the couple’s understanding of one another.
The early scenes benefit from the performers’ ability to suggest genuine attraction without overplaying sentiment. Benger’s “See, I’m Smiling” and Daly’s “Shiksa Goddess” establish the comic charge of the relationship while also hinting at the competing expectations that will later divide the pair.
The central tension lies in the imbalance between Jamie’s professional momentum and Cathy’s stalled auditions. Jamie’s growing success, including his close professional relationship with his female agent, contrasts sharply with Cathy’s frustration on the audition circuit. The production presents that divide as an emotional pressure point rather than a simple matter of fault.
Tess Benger and James Daly provide the production’s strongest reason to see the show. Under Patrick Bowman’s precise musical direction and Christopher’s measured staging, both performers bring clarity to the show’s shifting chronology of vignettes. Their phrasing and pauses in the songs give shape to the score’s dramatic turns, particularly in “The Next Ten Minutes,” where the hope of marriage is set against the audience’s knowledge of its eventual collapse.
The question the production raises is why The Last Five Years continues to resonate nearly twenty-five years after its premiere.
Christopher’s Director’s Note points to the audience’s investment in moments that feel recognizable, even when the outcome is already known. The production supports that reading by keeping the focus on ordinary and personal emotional shifts rather than melodramatic confrontation.
At its best, this fine Thousand Island’s staging finds the musical’s appeal in that recognizability: two people trying, failing and remembering differently.
The Last Five Years remains a VOICE CHOICE, must-see production, notable for its emotional musical precision and the disciplined performances of its two leads.
Running time: approximately 90 minutes with no interval/intermission.
The production runs to August 30 at the Firehall Theatre, 185 South Street, Gananoque. For tickets: www.1000islandsplayhouse.com or call (613) 382-7020
THOUSAND ISLANDS PLAYHOUSE presents
THE LAST FIVE YEARS
Book, Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Directed by Brett Christopher
Music Director: Patrick Bowman
Set and Costume Designer: Joshua Quinlan
Lighting Designer: Jeff Pybus
Sound Designer: Richard Feren
Stage Manager: Beatrice Campbell
Band: Patrick Bowman (music director/piano), Jeremy Daw (bass), Lisa Draper (violin), Jeff Hamacher (cello), Erik Patterson (guitar)
Performers: Tess Benger as Cathy Hyatt AND James Daly as Jamie Wallerstein
