The Real Kyle McCarren is a musical based on a true story about grief, friendship and the complicated ways that people respond when someone they love dies. Andy Roninson, plays himself, narrating the story of his best friend and band mate, Kyle McCarren, who died aged just 21. Blurring the line between a concert and gig theatre, the rawness of the setting feels entirely appropriate for a show that is ultimately about people trying to make sense of an unimaginable loss.
The show is predominately set in the week following Kyle’s death, with flashbacks to the times that Andy and Kyle spent together, from Andy being dumped straight after his homecoming dance and Kyle being the one to pick up the pieces through to the pair writing their first song together. However Andy is not the only one that is grieving. We meet Kyle’s best friend Lewis, who Andy had never heard of, his ex-girlfriend Justine whom Andy barely knew along with members of Kyle’s family, including his formidable mother, Siobhan. The audience gradually discover that the Kyle Andy knew was not necessarily the Kyle that everyone else knew and it is this that makes the show so affecting.
The show itself is a fascinating examination of what happens after someone dies: the gathering of friends and family, the stories that are told and the realisation that everyone carries a different version of the person who has gone. You often learn more about someone after their death, not only about their life but about the impact that they had on those around them. The Real Kyle McCarren examines this with remarkable honesty, often giving Andy words for thoughts that people experiencing grief may feel but be afraid to admit. That honesty is what makes the show so moving. There is no attempt to make grief neat or universally understood; instead the audience is allowed to sit with its contradictions, from love to sadness through to awkwardness, jealousy and even moments of humour. The personal nature of the piece is also keenly felt with a recording of the real life Siobhan played at the end, a moment that made the boundary between the story being told and the real people suddenly feel very thin.
Roninson also has a real way with words. Justine’s song which explores the idea that you rarely know when something will be the last time you might see or do it, draws a beautiful parallel with losing someone unexpectedly. It caught me completely off guard and had me thinking about the last time I saw or spoke to friends I have lost unexpectedly. It is moments like this that elevate the show from beyond a story about Andy and Kyle and allow the audience to bring their own experience of loss into it.
Musically the show flits between soft rock and folk with the occasional touch of soul. Roninson avoids the obvious trap of allowing the fact that that he and Kyle were bandmates to become a musical gimmick; instead they are the emotional centre of the piece. The rich harmonies throughout create a beautiful sound, whilst the contrast between some of the more intimate numbers and the bigger songs mirrors the changing emotion in the story.
As Andy, Roninson brings his own, self-proclaimed awkward energy to the stage, but what could easily become self-conscious instead becomes endearing. His vulnerability makes it easier to understand the depth of their relationship and crucially makes the audience feel that we are being trusted with something deeply personal. Kyle is played by co-creator Sean McVerry with a huge amount of cheeky charisma ensuring that the audience easily see just how Kyle had such an impact on so many people. McVerry also had a beautiful voice really suited to the soft rock style of the piece and combining his voice with his charismatic energy meant I was hanging off every word McVerry said or sung.
Joining the cast was Vincent Jamal Hooper as Lewis, Kyle’s best friend who his family clearly adore. He fronted a high energy number, ‘Legendary,’ and with his soulful voice and charm it was easy to see why Andy was so intimidated by him. Almost stealing the show at numerous points was Jaygee Macapugay as Kyle’s mother, an intimidating yet huge-hearted New Yorker who was unfiltered and helped bring comedy into the piece without ever undermining the emotional weight.
The Real Kyle McCarren is an extraordinarily personal piece of musical theatre, but its greatest strength is that it never feels like grief that belongs only to Andy. Through its honesty, humour and beautifully crafted music, it gives the audience space to think about their own relationships, their own losses and the things left unsaid. I found myself thinking about people I have lost, the last conversations I had with them and the things I wish I had known at the time. That a show can take one very specific story and make it feel so universal is a remarkable achievement.
The Real Kyle McCarren is on at Pleasance Courtyard from 13:50 – 15:05. To find out more you can visit the website here.
If you like this review you might also like my review of Under The Influence, Shamilton: The Improvised Hip Hop Musical and One Man Musical.