The Last Five Years
Back in Time
The Last Five Years
by Jason Robert Brown
Barn Theatre and The Theatre Royal Bath at the Reading Rep Theatre until 12th October, then on tour until 3rd January 2026
Review by Sam Martin
Hal Chambers’ production of The Last Five Years, a co-production between Reading Rep, Barn Theatre and Theatre Royal Bath, is a powerful and emotionally intricate exploration of love found and lost. This intimate two-hander, starring Martha Kirby and Guy Woolf, pulses with energy, wit and heartache. The story is brought vividly to life through exemplary performances, intelligent design, and a finely tuned directorial vision that lifts Jason Robert Brown’s cult musical into a new light.
From the outset, Chambers’ direction demonstrates an assured understanding of the complexities of the show’s unique structure (two timelines moving in opposite directions) and he uses that to craft a piece that feels both immediate and universal. The staging, far from being ornamental, plays a vital role in shaping the emotional narrative. The use of screens to define the space is particularly effective. Visually elegant and conceptually loaded, they reinforce the emotional barriers between the characters, giving the production a claustrophobic edge that reflects the slow, inevitable breakdown of the relationship. This subtle but persistent physical reminder becomes a powerful metaphor for the characters’ inability to move beyond the walls they have both put up.
Kirby, as Cathy, offers a performance brimming with vulnerability and vocal prowess. Her Cathy is deeply relatable, bristling with authenticity as she charts the downward spiral of love with devastating clarity. This is made even more heart-breaking with her narrative playing in reverse, with the hope and spark of their first date in the final scene standing mentally in juxtaposition to her introduction where her heart is torn apart. Nowhere is this more evident than in her audition scene, a standout moment in the production. As Cathy battles through rehearsed and false smiles her real frustrations threaten to crack the surface; here, the lighting deftly guides us through her internal chaos and Kirby is electric as she moves between the façade and her internal struggles. It’s a moment of brilliance where all the production’s elements coalesce: performance, direction, and design, to deliver something quietly heart-stopping.
Opposite her, Woolf’s Jamie is all comic charm and untamed energy as he enters the relationship. His physical comedy, which is sharp and well-measured (and full of boyish arrogance) provides a striking contrast to the raw emotional terrain Kirby is navigating. This juxtaposition, orchestrated with great care by Chambers, cleverly captures the imbalance in how the two characters experience the relationship. Woolf’s shift into a more subdued, conflicted Jamie as the story progresses in his direction is handled with restraint and thoughtfulness, ensuring that his character’s descent doesn’t lose the spark that made him so magnetic at first.
The production’s ability to balance tone is one of its greatest strengths. There’s a slickness to the pacing and transitions that allows the piece to breathe. Lighter, comic moments are used sparingly but effectively, punctuating the emotional heft without undercutting it. The music, played live and seamlessly integrated onstage, becomes another character entirely, a constant presence that bridges the characters even when they’re most emotionally distant. The musicians are never merely background; they are intricately woven into the storytelling, supporting the mood and the narrative peaks.
Technically, this is a production that impresses through understatement. The lighting design is particularly adept at underscoring the emotional shifts. Whether bathing the stage in warm amber during fleeting moments of hope, or tightening in cold isolation during scenes of conflict, it shapes the audience’s emotional response with precision.
This production of The Last Five Years is not just a showcase of excellent performances but a masterclass in direction and design. It’s a smart, affecting and highly entertaining piece of theatre that finds both the sorrow and sweetness in a failed relationship. Kirby and Woolf are magnetic throughout, and together with Chambers’ sharp direction and the creative team’s nuanced staging, this co-production sings with both pain and joy.
In all, Reading Rep, alongside its collaborators, has delivered a deeply affecting and beautifully executed piece of musical theatre. I look forward to the next musical – I’ll certainly be booking my ticket early!
Sam Martin, September 2025
Photography by Alex Tabrizi
Mark Aspen 