The Mad Ones is a musical steering its way into London for the first time. After a run off Broadway and then a run in Birmingham Londoners finally get a chance to see what the fuss is about. The show is one which deals with the feeling of growing up and the pressures surrounding it.

We meet valedictorian Samantha Brown who is struggling with anxiety and working out her next steps in life with her friends, boy friend Adam and neurotic mother, Beverly all pulling her in different directions. Thrown into the mix is the fact that Samantha is also dealing with loosing her best friend Kelly, a free spirit who balanced out Samantha’s worries, in a car accident.

The story by Kait Kerrigan and Bree Lowdermilk is incredibly relatable, whilst the dramatic moments of the show may not be reminiscent of many of out teenage years the feeling the surround Samantha’s journey are written in an entirely relatable way as is the teenage friendship between Samantha and Kelly. It is this relatability that makes the show a success. Woven into this is the story of Samantha’s grief, told by using her memories with Kelly and constant reminders that they would soon be torn apart.

There are however moments of the story that could be trimmed and the same message is reinforced repeatedly and at times moments are cliché. As we all know where the emotional crux of the show is heading it can feel like it drags a bit to get there and some fine tuning and pruning of the running time and pace could really help this feeling.

Whilst the book is enjoyable the music is the real star of the show at The Mad Ones. It is not often after hearing a musical for the first time I want to listen to it again, immediately but the Mad Ones cast recording is now on repeat in my own car.

The cast are blessed with wonderfully drawn characters but they also deliver on all fronts. Courtney Stapleton as Kelly is faced with the difficult task of living up to Samantha’s description of her, a person who everyone else orbits around, but with Stapleton in the role this is easy to believe. She has warmth, energy and a huge amount of sass and her vocal prowess heightens the already brilliant score to another level. Her chemistry with Dora Gee as Samantha also sizzles on stage and the friendship between them is easy to believe. Gee’s character could easily become a frustrating one to watch as she teeters on the edges of decisions but Gee avoids this and instead thanks to her ability to connect with the audience they warm to her and root for her success.

Playing Adam is Gabriel Hinchliffe whose character worships the ground the Samantha walks on. He has the perfect blend of charisma and comedy as he effortlessly sings both ‘The Proposal’ and ‘Run Away With Me,’ both very different numbers but he delivers them both flawlessly. Completing the quartet on stage is Thea Jo Wolfe as Beverly, Samantha’s helicopter parent. Despite Beverly’s overbearing nature her final scenes are tender and really help found out the character, turning her from what could be a two dimensional character into someone more rounded out, that has gone on her own journey of parenthood as Samantha grows. Wolfe’s wit wins the day in her portrayal and stays the right side of naturalistic whilst still portraying Beverley’s quirks.

The set by Reuben Speedworks brilliantly in the studio space at the other palace, with the front half of a car talking up the majority of the playing space backed by shattered glass you can’t get away from how Kelly dies but also from the decisions facing Samantha. This is enhanced by brilliant lighting design by Joanne Marshall which manages to transform the stage in so many way with her use of lighting, ensuring the limited space doesn’t limit the story.

The Mad Ones is an utterly relatable musical about growing pains and grief, mixed in with a score that you will want to hear on repeat. Its not a case of if you should go but when and take Kelly’s word for it….’If you’re gunna go you gotta go tonight.’

The Mad Ones is on at the Other Palace until 1st June. You can find out more and book here.

If you like this review you might also like my review for Stiletto at Charing Cross Theatre, The Devil Wears Prada at the Dominion Theatre and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.