By Harry Mottram: Some get a Dear John letter, for others it’s an angry public row in a pub and for many it can be a roller coaster ending in tears and recriminations. Jason Robert Brown’s semi autobiographical musical The Last Five Years lands at the Ustinov Studio in Bath this week with an extended run to take the show into the New Year. It’s a reversal symmetrical plot structure with Cathy’s story beginning at the end and Jamie’s version of their relationship starting at their meeting the relationship is brought to life through song with numbers that include Goodbye Until Tomorrow/I Could Never Rescue You, Still Hurting and Nobody Needs to Know. Everyone will sympathise with the couple’s angsts, emotional needs and desire for a relationship that works.
Like so many relationships it starts with romance, builds to a wedding day and a shared future but – well… no spoilers. Martha Kirby plays Cathy. Her recent credits include Eva Peron in a revival of Evita at the Leicester Curve, Raven in the UK tour of Bat Out Of Hell, Bella Cohen in Rags and Sandy in the UK tour of Grease. Jamie is played by Guy Woolf whose recent stage credits include a Broadway World award nomination for his role in The Cher Show, As You Like It at the Globe Theatre and Yankl and the Beanstalk at the Pleasance Theatre.
Jason Robert Brown’s semi-autobiographical story was to see him at odds with his former wife Theresa O’Neill who took exception to his use of their failed marriage as the inspiration for the fiction. A legal battle ensued and he was forced to make some basic changes – mainly to Cathy’s character. Which underlines the strength of feeling The Last Five Years created.
Tickets at https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/events/the-last-five-years/
From The Ustinov Theatre:
The Ustinov Studio’s Christmas production is one of the most famous modern Broadway musicals, The Last Five Years, a funny and heartfelt observation of a rollercoaster romance between an aspiring actress, and a young writer, starring Martha Kirby (Club NVRLND, Evita) and Guy Woolf (The Cher Show, As You Like It). Music and lyrics are written by Tony Award-winning Jason Robert Brown and Hal Chambers directs in this Barn Theatre, Reading Rep Theatre and Theatre Royal Bath Co-Production, appearing in Bath from Tuesday 25 November 2025 to Saturday 3 January 2026.
Follow writer Jamie and actress Cathy on their five-year journey from blossoming romance and first dates, through their wedding day and as their lives begin to move in different directions. Jamie’s side of the story starts at the beginning of their relationship, a time filled with the fizz of new romance and continues chronologically, while Cathy’s retelling begins at the end, poignantly reflecting on a lost love and moving back to the excitement of early dates and a shared future, their timelines crossing on their wedding day.
Martha Kirby plays Cathy. Her recent credits include Eva Peron in Evita at Leicester’s Curve theatre, Raven in the UK tour of Bat Out Of Hell, Bella Cohen in Rags and Sandy in the UK tour of Grease. Jamie is played by Guy Woolf, whose recent stage credits include a Broadway World award nomination for his appearance in The Cher Show, As You Like It at the Globe Theatre and Yankl and the Beanstalk at the Pleasance Theatre.
Director Hal Chambers said “I’ve wanted to direct The Last Five Years for over twenty years. Though my background lies in classical adaptations and new writing, this is the one musical I’ve always dreamed of staging. I’m a passionate admirer of Jason Robert Brown’s extraordinary work – its storytelling, music, and emotional depth are unmatched. The narrative structure, with Cathy moving backwards through time and Jamie forwards, creates a compelling theatrical puzzle reminiscent of a Christopher Nolan film. It feels like a haunting memory play – dreamlike, poetic, and full of magical realism. Our production will lean into that, using bold imagery and movement to explore the ghosts of a relationship and the raw beauty of love and heartbreak. The music is breath-taking – joyful, witty, devastating – and I can’t wait to bring it to life with our cast. Performed in intimate venues, our vision promises a deeply personal and emotionally resonant Last Five Years that captures the show’s unique intimacy and power.”
One of the most acclaimed composers of his generation, Jason Robert Brown’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece reflects the experiences of all who have shared lives, romances, holidays and break-ups together. His other Tony Award-winning works include Parade and The Bridges of Madison County, and the acclaimed productions Songs for a New World, 13, Mr. Saturday Night and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
The schedule includes two Babes in Arms performances on Wednesday 3 December at 10.30am and Wednesday 10 December at 2.30pm. These performances have a more relaxed feel where audience members are welcome to bring their babies, move around the auditorium and come and go from the theatre when needed.
THE LAST FIVE YEARS appears at the Ustinov Studio from Tuesday 25 November 2025 to Saturday 3 January 2026. Tickets are on sale now at Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 and online at theatreroyal.org.uk
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