★★★★

“Butterfield navigates the journey with a fearless and faultless performance”

Much has been made in the media recently of Asa Butterfield’s stage debut. In interviews he has said that theatre “has always terrified” him. We get the impression that this is genuine, rather than a false modesty. Having made his name in “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” at the age of ten, he went on to play the lead in Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo”, before his major break in the Netflix series, “Sex Education”. Yet he is sufficiently aware that standing in front of a live audience is a completely different ballgame. Especially when you are the only one on stage for the whole hour and a half. Any fears we (or Butterfield for that matter) may have had about this inaugural performance are instantly driven away. “Second Best” is a wonderfully stylised, one-man, one-act play by Barney Norris in which Butterfield commands the stage with a natural comfort and ease, and a sparkling charisma that keeps us hanging on his every word.

Adapted from David Foenkinos’ French novel (translated by Megan Jones), it tells the story of Martin – the (fictionalised) boy who lost out to Daniel Radcliffe on being cast as Harry Potter in the film franchise. Although a specific narrative, it is immediately relatable. Who hasn’t wondered what might have happened if things had turned out differently? That ‘different life I once almost had’ as Butterfield’s character states. That is the crux of the piece. Quite a simple premise, but it is wrapped in layers that are peeled away by Butterfield as he paces the stage, making sharp turns through Martin’s backstory in a seemingly haphazard fashion.

As we enter the auditorium, Butterfield is already there. A lone figure in black, strikingly prominent against the stark white backdrop. Fly Davis’ set is initially a puzzle. A damaged corner-shop rack of crisps, a camera tripod, television set, large packing crate, empty picture frames and a hospital bed high up on the wall. Martin sets the scene. We begin in the present, in a hospital waiting for the results of his and his partner’s three-month scan. But Martin’s mind cannot focus on the image of his child-to-be. Instead, it is being dragged back to into his past – a life of things he didn’t do. A sometimes-traumatic journey. Honest and brutal yet funny and sympathetic as Martin pieces himself back together again. Non sequiturs are strategically placed throughout the script, teasing us until their meaning smacks with a startling clarity. Michael Longhurst’s skilful direction makes inspired use of the props and set pieces, and all the while Butterfield navigates the journey with a fearless and faultless performance.

The narrative is, in fact, more about Martin’s relationship with his mother and, particularly, his father. A stepfather casts a dark shadow too. We follow Martin from school, through to his early film auditions. We commute with him from England to France and back after his parents’ divorce. A vertigo inducing scene takes us into hospital where he was briefly sectioned. And eventually to the party where he met the love of his life – and his saviour. All with stroboscopic shifts from the dark to the light. And never before have tuna sandwiches carried such tear-jerking poignancy. As the conclusion approaches, we do get a whiff of self-help therapy. In Martin’s words, it is ‘not the story of how I came second, but the story of how someone put me first’. But in Butterfield’s hands we are spared any trace of sentimentality. What he replaces it with is tenderness.

In real life, Butterfield narrowly missed out on being cast as the new Spiderman in 2015. The part went to Tom Holland. But he is philosophical about it and has no regrets. Had his story played out differently, though, he might not be here on the stage as his fictional counterpart, Martin – which, for us, would be a big regret. “Second Best” shows us that ‘the other’ life might not be as glittering as it looks. There’s plenty to think about, but what doesn’t need much contemplation is that this sharply insightful play is rendered a must see by Asa Butterfield’s bold and brilliant performance.

FIGARO: AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL

London Palladium

★★

“The cast of seven worked as well as they could and the standout performances were the two children”

A two-night run at the London Palladium of new musical Figaro – An Original Musical; with music, lyrics, co-book, co-created, orchestrated and arranged by Ashley Jana and co-book, co-created and directed by Will Nunziata.

This was a brave move to put a “full” production on stage of a new musical on to such an iconic stage – but the hope would be that it will be picked up and given an onward life. Clearly a lot of development, time and money has gone into the show to date and it already has a list of 10 producers’ names above the title. This is American duo’s Jana and Nunziata’s first musical – and one wonder’s why it was premiered in this showcase in London’s West End rather than Broadway?

Figaro – An Original Musical is set in Italy and tells the story of Sienna (Cayleigh Capaldi) who dreams of singing professionally but lives a hard life on the farm with her father (Daniel Brocklebank). On a rainy day at the local market, she gets separated from her father and finds herself in a completely different town, and, as her head spins, she is saved by two young orphans who take her to their home, a travelling circus run by the Svengali that is Figaro (Jon Robyns). Very much like the story of Phantom of the Opera, Sienna becomes the bright shining singing star of the travelling show, replacing the original star and lover of Figaro, Lucia (Aimie Atkinson). But it was never going to end well, as we knew, having seen a dead Figaro lying at the feet of Sienna at the opening of the show before it then goes back in time to the beginning of the story – very Sunset Boulevard.

The book needs a lot of work still, with various storylines left in the air and grating lines such as the dastardly Figaro ordering the innocent Sienna “meet me in the alley in 10 minutes”. The score is ballad after ballad, everyone sings a ballad, none of which move the musical on, with lyrics like “April showers, fake plastic flowers” when singing of a broken heart. Mostly the end of the songs come as a slight surprise, as they seem to peter out and never quite finish, even though most have a strong and telling key change.

The cast of seven worked as well as they could and the standout performances were the two children, even though their storyline didn’t hold together. Both children already have strong leading West End credits to their names, Sophia Goodman having just played the titular role in Matilda, and Cian Eagle-Service is currently starring as Oliver in Oliver! which I recently saw and commented on his extraordinary voice, as being one to watch. They gave some sweet light relief. Throw in a caring seamstress Gia (Ava Brennan) who sees all but does nothing to help, and it is difficult to see where any of these characters might go.

Capaldi sings well with a great vocal range, but her big number, when Sienna sings like an angel for the first time, does not make the iconic and unforgettable scene that The Greatest Showman’s ‘Never Enough’ does, however similar. There is no passion or connection between Capaldi and the supposedly mesmeric Figaro (Jon Robyns); and other than hypnotising them all with his gold fob watch, it is difficult to see what possible hold Figaro has over everyone.

The opening number of Act II, sung by Robyns, might well sit better as a strong scene setting opening to the whole show. Act II could then open with Sienna making her glorious debut performance. Lose the picnic with Sienna and the children, with Figaro telling them that he had not killed Lucia…. which then would enable a dramatic scene seeing Lucia is very much alive in Act II seeking revenge – having ducked Figaro’s bullet which the audience thought had killed her at the end of Act One…… Are you keeping up?

Figaro – An Original Musical is a work in progress – and in many ways it was a shame that rather than the Musical in Concert on the Palladium stage as expected and advertised, it tried to be a full on production off book, with a one frame set, costumes (low budget mix between Six and Les Mis), and just the seven principles on stage – and no ensemble, not that there were any songs that could have been for a chorus, as all most definitely solo ballads.

For a first performance it was tight, well-rehearsed, with good sound and a strong band led by musical director Caitlin Morgan. They all get to perform Figaro – An Original Musical all over again on the 4th February – then maybe it’s back to the drawing board….

SECOND BEST

Riverside Studios

★★★★

“Butterfield navigates the journey with a fearless and faultless performance”

SECOND BEST

Riverside Studios

Reviewed on 3rd February 20245

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Hugo Glendinning

Previously reviewed at this venue:

SECOND BEST

SECOND BEST

SECOND BEST

FIGARO: AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL

London Palladium

★★

“The cast of seven worked as well as they could and the standout performances were the two children”