Review: Lovestuck, Stratford East

Lovestuck, Stratford East’s first in-house musical in a decade, is an undeniable triumph from start to finish. It’s rare to encounter a new musical as polished, hilarious and emotionally satisfying as this. Like a musical trifle, every ingredient is more delightful than the next. It’s a comedy with a big heart, a book brimful of belly laughs, and a score that had me singing long past Stratford tube. 

Conceived and written by James Cooper, with direction by My Dad Wrote a Porno’s Jamie Morton, and music by triple-platinum artist Bryn Christopher (with Martin Batchelar), Lovestuck is based on a viral meme from 2017. That oddball inspiration becomes a springboard for a thoroughly modern tale of love in the age of dating app disasters, ghosting and shitty behaviour (pun intended). 

The synergy between Cooper’s sharp, witty book and lyrics and Christopher’s harmonically rich, melodically memorable score is nothing short of electric. Their combined expertise generates creative torque that delivers note after note, gag after gag. The songs are tightly structured and perfectly paced, with musical highlights including Cat Lady, Basically Basic, All Along, and the soaring One in a Million. In an era of deconstructed songwriting, this show is refreshingly full of real tunes.

I’ve never witnessed the humour in a show be so universally embraced by its audience. Sure, this poo story probably won’t fly on Broadway, but here in the UK it created a buzz in the theatre that extended all the way out to (and probably beyond) Stratford station as enthusiastic audience members, former strangers, found themselves enthusiastically sharing their favourite moments. 

The cast is a revelation. So uniformly strong is this ensemble that it’s almost unfair to single out individuals. Yet special credit must go to Ambra Caserotti, who stepped into the lead role of Lucy after Jessica Boshier was injured just before opening. Caserotti brings a voice of pure steel-melting soul and a knowing comedic sensibility. Her chemistry with Shane O’Riordan’s Peter anchors the show. He manages to be both geekily awkward and musically assured, landing every laugh and note with ease.

Elsewhere, Bridgette Amofah dazzles with her vocal versatility and charisma as Cassandra/Miseraie, Marcus Ayton brings irrepressible energy and joy to Reece, and Johan Munir is riotously funny as the woefully inappropriate David. Every ensemble member contributes richly to the storytelling, and it’s clear this is a team effort in the truest sense.

Visually, the show bursts with energy. Tom Rogers’ set, dressed in a vibrant purple and yellow palette, is clever, exciting and consistently surprising. Adam King’s lighting design enhances the warmth and sparkle of the world, while the sound design by Beth Duke is pitch-perfect: every word lands clearly, every musical cue is crisp.

At no point did it feel like this production was searching for its rhythm or second-guessing its tone. As an audience member, that kind of confidence creates a high: you can relax and be carried along by a wave of expertly managed joy, and we all did. 

My recommendation would be to snap up one of the very few remaining tickets while you still can. But if you miss out, don’t panic. I’ll put good money on the fact that this is not the last we’ve seen of this show. If you haven’t already guessed, I’m truly love-struck on Lovestuck. 

Book by James Cooper
Music by Bryn Christopher & Martin Batchelar
Lyrics by Bryn Christopher & James Cooper
Directed by Jamie Morton
Set and Costumes by Tom Rogers
Lighting Design by Adam King
Sound Design by Beth Duke

Lovestuck plays at the Stratford East until Saturday 12 July 2025.