Best described as a chamber musical theatre production, Andrew Lippa and Tom Greenwald’s John and Jen is a play exploring the trials and tribulations of a sibling relationship. Sharing a cast iron bond, they sing gleefully ‘to always take care of each other’. Touching moments make concrete their bond, alerting us to the potential fall out should anything come between the duo writes Carolyn Hart Taylor.
Unsurprisingly, life’s opportunities pose the greatest threat, with the prospect of college, clubbing and boys glistening on the horizon, Jen, (Rachel Tucker) 13 years senior, is quickly packing bags, instructing John, (Lewis Cornay) to “hold down the fort, Hotshot”.
Both actors do justice to the multitude of numbers sung throughout. Tucker’s vocals express angst, standing torn between her brother’s welfare or satisfying her own ambitions! Cornay’s, meanwhile, remain convincingly within his younger years, expressing youthful excitement, loss, and frustration towards increasing maturity.
Greenwald’s Lyrics are the perfect accompaniment to their timeline, kicking off with childhood Christmas 1, to Bye Room, Graduation and The Road Ends Here.
American culture provides a vehicle showing the passage of time and personal choice that shape and set them apart on individual paths. Lyrics tell of past presidents, iPod invention, war and political landscapes, ultimately leading them to choose their destiny.
Cyclical themes resonate; Jen names her baby after her brother to avoid the pain of loss. Cornay also plays Jen’s son, odd for anyone struggling to compartmentalise actors. And universal themes reside; do choices result in characters’ destiny, or are they casualties of cultural expectations?
Being a small theatre adds to the first act’s mainly domestic setting, but as life broadens both actors’ versatility captivates through energised numbers that reveal the power behind Tucker’s vocals, resulting in a standing ovation finale.
Being a two-character production provides space for them to play out the familiar themes that we can all identify with. Who hasn’t felt the pain of a family member leaving to make their own way in the world? In a nutshell, this musical explores the often joyous, but equally painful cycle of life.
Southwark Playhouse, 77-85 Newington Causeway, SE1 6BD until 21st August. Times: Monday to Saturday – 8pm; Matinees: Tuesdays & Saturdays at 3.30pm. Admission: £22, £18.
Photos: Danny Kaan
