This musical, based on the 2001 French romantic comedy film, had a short run on Broadway two years ago and has now been reworked for a UK tour starting at the Watermill in Newbury. It’s hard to imagine a less suitable show for Broadway or a more suitable one for the Watermill. It’s a delight.
We follow Amelie from her childhood, home schooled, losing her mother in a tragic accident – crushed by a man committing suicide by jumping off Notre-Dame! – eventually leaving home at 18 to work in a Paris cafe, a place as eccentric as her home. She’s very much in her own world, living her fantasies as well as her life. Her most significant fantasy happens when Princess Diana dies, which takes us to Elton John at the funeral (a superb turn by Cadlan McCarthy)!
She devotes her life to schemes to improves the lives of others, including reuniting someone with their childhood memorabilia, persuading her father to fulfil his ambition to travel the world (inspired by the travels of his garden gnome, containing the ashes of his wife!), matchmaking between a co-worker and a customer and preventing the ill-treatment of a greengrocer’s assistant, whilst the artist she has befriended sets her off in the pursuit of love, on a trail involving photo booths.
Daniel Messe’s score is gorgeous, with a real French feel. Craig Lucas’ book and Messe and Nathan Tysen’s lyrics tell the quintessentially French story of love, kindness and loneliness beautifully. Madeleine Girling’s design uses wrought iron and faded posters to conjure up Paris, with Amelie’s charming apartment on a second level.
The Watermill is the home of actor-musician shows and I’ve seen many there, but the musical standards for this one are sky high. It’s a terrific ensemble of twelve, led by Audrey Brisson’s outstanding Amelie. She has an other-worldly quality, wistful, bucketloads of charm and the purest of voices. Michael Fentiman’s staging is completely in tune with the material.
One of the best musicals we’ve ever seen at the Watermill, and that’s a big compliment, one of the best new musicals for a while and a must-see for any lover of musical theatre.
Gareth's Culture and Travel Blog 
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