(seen at the performance on 26th May 2023)
Given that Carrie Hope Fletcher is far more than just a musical theatre actor, it should be no real surprise that what is billed as a “UK Concert Tour” turns out more of a one-woman jukebox musical biography.
Producers Lambert Jackson decide to shift her sitting room and study to the stage. Jonny Dickie and Joseph Ed Thomas give her a comfy-looking sofa, solid desk with MacBook to refer to, and books and lamps scattered everywhere. Plus a 5 piece band where the kitchen should be of course.
We are inside Carrie Hope Fletcher’s mind as she tries to write a show with the help of her adoring fans. Interspersing songs (which she chooses for feeling that they make her soul leave her body, scratches an itch or puts into lyric emotions she cannot otherwise express) with amusingly candid memories, the triumphant ending is a finished script in her hands.
Opening both halves with “Another Chapter” by Arielle Jacobs, her first story about a 4am pole dancing snog in Wardour Street has her admitting “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” from “Grease” – and yes, she does of course hit that near-impossible note.
Moving on to her career, a little something from “Treason” is followed by a mash-up of “Stars” and “On My Own” from the show she has played 959 times and more – with an amusing childhood anecdote from it as well.
Her best known public persona of “understanding older sister” comes to the fore as she relates her brother Tom’s culinary disasters and her own insecurities before “Pretty Funny” and a McFly tribute popper “Bubblewrap.”
Closing the first half, “I Say No” delighted the Corn Nuts in the audience, even more so hearing the song went in 8 weeks into the first London run, at 5 days notice, causing one super-fan on the front row to almost require medical attention.
Second half, “Another Chapter” and the true philosophy that everybody should and would take their own laundry home rather than anyone else’s; that “I’d Rather Be Me” (from “Mean Girls”).
In that mood, singing into a hair brush, “Thnks Fr The Mmrs” and “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” from Fall Out Boy and her favourite My Chemical Romance are a tribute to her teenage years as the band vamps with a few bars of “Hit Me Baby One More Time.”
Sara Bareilles “Someone Who Loves Me” is a good contrast with “Wherever He Ain’t” from “Mack and Mabel” and a chance for a proper belt at a classic show tune.
"Les Dennis as 'Uncle Fester' spotting failure" Scott Paige joins her onstage for a vaudeville “You’re Timeless To Me” duet to shake the tone a little in a celebration of deepest friendship.
Ruthie Stephens directs with a firm hand, helping a performer who admits being always nervous to find an on-stage persona to carry the evening yet still reveal the truth we expect to see in a concert style event.
This is best expressed in her choice of “The Age Of Not Believing,” from Disney’s “Bedknobs and Broomsticks.” On paper a perfect fit for this wise-beyond-her-years star, and sung beautifully. Yet it felt horribly unfair that she should have already enough scars to sing that song from knowledge at such a young age.
Also at a young age, impatient Carrie would fast-forward songs in musicals that she would later base her whole career on. One she didn’t was “Watch What Happens” from “Newsies,” an apt title as she launches into her final advice that life should be about self-exploration even if we don’t go down every pathway we potentially might.
Closing on “The Life I Never Led” from “Sister Act” underlines it, as she took bows before a standing ovation.
Ben Van Tienen and Nick Pinchbeck’s musical arrangements and Van Tienen’s direction are unafraid to tailor the numbers to the voice, suiting the tempo to the mood as appropriate.
Support act Trinity, an Irish trio of superb voices are also well chosen. “My Love Is Fairer Than Any,” “Shenandoah” and “Danny Boy” are expected of an Irish group, before a building “From Now On” from “The Greatest Showman” and ending after amusing banter with “Anthem” (“Chess The Musical”) merging into “Go The Distance” (“Hercules”).
The only missed opportunity of the entire night – according to several ladies in the souvenir stand line – appeared to be not selling copies of Ms Hope Fletcher’s sparkling rainbow and black dress, all credit to Lois Gay on wardrobe.
Fact is, Carrie Hope Fletcher proves here that the first 25 years or so of her career have been merely moving equipment to base camp. Past conquests have been high, but there are surely even greater peaks ahead. This audit of achievement to date is much promise of things to come.
4 stars.