First preview

I caught the 7:12 am train to be at work before 8:30 am. I decided to stop at Coco Di Mama for an egg box. They didn’t have the one I wanted, but the version with streaky bacon was delicious and, I hope, healthier than some of the other options I could have chosen. After picking up a free Caffè Nero at Shepherd's Bush station, I’m not sure why I felt the need to buy a coffee with breakfast.

I did my usual check-in on Swarm. Sometimes, I wonder how many people still use it. It amuses me when it says I’m "the first of my friends to check in here" because I don’t think anyone I know, let alone anyone I’d call a friend, still uses the app.

My day at the office was pleasant, but it was very quiet. I’m not usually in on a Tuesday, so I can’t say if this is typical. By 5 pm, I decided to head out, hoping to make it home in time before we had to go out again. I hurried to Shepherd's Bush to catch the train. I missed one, but the next one, just after 5 pm, was good enough. It was very warm, and after rushing, I was quite sweaty when I got home. I was glad to change into cooler clothes.

I then headed to town, where I met PY just around the corner from the Garrick Theatre. We were going to see the first preview of Why Am I So Single, the new musical from the team behind the wildly popular Six. Among the audience, it was easy to spot Six fans. We also noticed a producer sitting at the end of the row to our right. We had good stall seats and settled in. I opted for a glass of wine during the first half. Next to me was one of the aforementioned fans, sitting alone, away from her friends. The pitch of her screams during the opening and at other points in the first act was genuinely painful to my ears. I was relieved when she moved seats (I assume she didn’t leave) during the interval.

It’s fascinating to watch one of the first public performances of a new show (was there a matinee for this one?). I don’t want to give any spoilers since not much music has been released yet (I suspect that will change now that the show has opened). There are some big numbers that are great, but the show lacks energy in parts. In its current form, it’s too long. I bet this will be addressed before the official opening night.

Technical sound issues added another twenty minutes to the evening, but that’s what previews are designed to fix. It was handled professionally. However, I was glad when it was over—mainly because of the length. The story, centred on platonic love, is intriguing and well done. Large parts of the show are very funny. The staging is clever, and the lead performances are strong.

But someone needs to grab a red pen and do some cutting.