The hit musical opens at The Other Palace.
With lyrics like, ‘My father’s a homo – my mother’s not thrilled at all’, Falsettos is clear that it’s here to please, bring fun, but also educate. Brought to the stage by creators James Lapine and William Finn, this UK premiere follows a divided family of one mother (Trina, Laura Pitt-Pulford) and father – now separated – and their kid, plus the father’s new male lover (Olivier Saville).
When he leaves the mother of his son for a man called Whizzer, Marvin (Daniel Boys), a proud Jewish man, aims to keep his family together as they try to plan son Jason’s bar mitzvah. However when his wife remarries someone a little too close to Marvin’s life, things get rather tough – in perfect musical fashion.
Fighting between the joys of tradition and the ever-changing world and feelings around, Falsettos is a sung-through treat that keeps audiences laughing from start to finish. And it’s not just thanks to the material, but this all-star cast of West End names – let impeccably by Oliver Saville and Laura Pitt-Pulford.
Showing the complexities of queer love in a fresh light, this story of father and son battling to remain together as a new lover comes into the mix shows that love is worth fighting for – on both sides. That we all, regardless of her identity, deserve the joy of happiness. And that life, nor love, isn’t easy.
New couple Marvin and Whizzer’s breakup and then reuniting and later battle against illness grabs at the heart tightly. While a difficult watch, the storyline and subject is important, and its inclusion vital.
Elsewhere, cheers of the night also rightfully went to Laura Pitt-Pulford, her performance of I’m Breaking Down a real highlight.
Tara Overfield-Wilkinson’s production shows that in a world that often aims to divide or remove what makes us all unique, Falsettos is a reminder that your individuality is key, that it should never be hidden, and that the beauty in all our differences should never be oppressed. Ever.
GAY TIMES gives Falsettos – ★★★★☆
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