FIRST DATE: The Musical is having its South African premiere at the Homecoming Centre’s Avalon Theatre; it first ran in Seattle in 2012, and on Broadway the following year, and has been performed all over the world. Although I’d rather stick a fork in my eye than go on a date, first or otherwise, I’m going to hazard a guess that the concept of this show is somewhat, well, dated.
From what I gather, the dating landscape has changed a lot in the last decade plus, but if you can look past that detail and suspend disbelief for a bit, First Date: The Musical is sweet and funny, as it focuses on Aaron and Casey, two very different people who have been set up by a married couple: her sister, and brother-in-law (who works with Aaron). Apparently they need to work on their own communication skills. To have put Aaron and Casey into incompatible play, at face value, is a recipe for disaster. It’s a first date and a blind date, double the trouble.
But we soldier on. Aaron and Casey seem to be doing well, until they’re not (stumbling blocks are littered all over the place), and then it’s into the friend zone they go. During the course of the date, each of them wanders off into their heads where they get advice from characters in their lives. These is portrayed by the other cast members who take on the various multiple roles: among them, Alison, Aaron’s ex; serial dater Casey’s past conquests; her sister, her therapist, her father; and Aaron’s bro buddy Gabe. Played by William Young, he is a highlight of comedic timing and comes close to stealing the show. There’s also a social media number to point out how everything exists online forever, the due diligence I suspect most people nowadays will carry out even before choosing a place to meet. If we do not stalk socials, who even are we? In this case though, it’s necessary that Aaron and Casey don’t know everything up front because how else will they find out more about each other and where will the script go? That’s right, nowhere.
Casey is played by Emma Amber: actress, singer, Fleur du Cap Theatre Award-nominated director and founder of Origen Productions, which is presenting this show in arrangement with Dalro (Pty) Limited. On the surface she is self-assured but she is compensating for past trauma. Aaron (Ethan Saunders) is too, so individually they have a lot to work through if they are to come out on the other side of this potentially calamitous date with any measure of success. Their issues are serious but handled with a light and deft touch to ensure this is a comedy and not a gut-wrenching drama.
Will they or won’t they? No spoilers but you can put your money on a happy ending, just not how they get there.
PHOTO CREDIT: Jonathan Georgeu
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