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An emotional deep-dive into the inner turmoil and despair that unexpected grief can bring. Summary
Rating
Excellent
Song From Far Away begins and ends with Willem (Will Young) standing, lonely, in his living room. The room is modern, sleek, and lacks any immediate feeling or depth; a stage design which cleverly reflects the character of Willem.
A gay bachelor in his mid-30s, residing in New York, Willem soon reveals that his brother has recently died. As a coping method, he decides to write him letters in order to deal with how he feels about the tragedy; a support his family cannot offer him. The script (Simon Stephens and Mark Eitzel) is written in a stream-of-consciousness style that allows a real deep-dive into the inner turmoil and confusion that raw grief brings.
The word that immediately came to mind upon exiting Hampstead Theatre after the show was ‘intimate’. The entire one hour and 10 minute run-time of Song From Far Away feels incredibly intimate. Everything from the writing, Young’s acting, the stage design, and the layout of the theatre itself, makes you feel as though you are physically sitting in Willem’s living room. This effect was also helped by the fact Young occasionally improvised with the audience; saying ‘bless you’ when someone sneezed, and commenting on the horrendous ringtone of a phone going off halfway through (friendly reminder to always silence your phone at the theatre). The show begins with a tense silence and you can actually feel the relief in the laughter that follows the first time Willem cracks a joke, instantly making the audience feel more at ease; much like when visiting someone’s house for the first time.
Arguably, the initial draw of Song From Far Away is the fact that it stars Will Young (who has not done a live theatrical performance in over ten years). From the moment he first steps on stage, his presence demands attention, as he speaks with the audience like an old friend (or in this case, his recently passed brother). His performance is open and honest and his years of stage experience really shine through in the short snippets of singing dotted throughout. His voice is crystal clear, powerful, and yet holds an eerie quality; an incredibly effective storytelling and emotive tool.
A slight drawback to the show has to be a certain lack of fluidity at small points in the script. Granted, Willem is our singular narrator and his living room is our only set; therefore, cutting between scenes and emotions is overall harder to master. However, there are some scenes that feel misplaced because the script doesn’t quite build the audience up to, or similarly let them process, moments of anger and despair. At times, it feels like Young can’t quite reach his full emotive potential due to awkward timings that require him to immediately move on to entirely unrelated dialogue. The latter half of the performance handles particularly emotional moments of grief much better and allows the audience the time to understand and resonate with Willem.
Ingrid Hu’s set design has to be one of the stand-out factors of Song From Far Away. Despite the action remaining in only one room for the duration of the show, the background/windows of the space adapt to Willem’s narrative. Some particular favourites include the stunning snowfall as Willem recounts a winter memory, and the impressive backdrop of the stage lights as Young sings his final, haunting song. This is an incredibly effective device which keeps the audience engaged and allows us to really visualise Willem’s story.
Song From Far Away is an emotional piece that portrays a strong message on the complexities of grief. It’s witty and creative, despite its tragic story line, and is well worth a dedicated evening of reflection and contemplation.
Written by: Simon Stephens & Mark Eitzel
Directed by: Kirk Jameson
Designed by: Ingrid Hu
Musical Direction by: Paul Schofield
Song From Far Away plays at Hampstead Theatre until 22 July. Further information and bookings can be found here.
