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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 1 NOVEMBER 2015 This Week 35 The anatomy of a five-year relationship through song As Jason Robert Brown's highly-acclaimed, off-Broadway musical The Last Five Years edges closer to the Maltese stage, IGGY FENECH chats to actor Joseph Zammit about what audiences can expect to see and hear SET in New York, The Last Five Years is a musical with an un- conventional structure. The two main characters, struggling ac- tress Cathy and up-and-coming writer Jamie, only meet once in the whole story. That special day is their wedding day and it comes as he goes forward and she goes backwards. "This musical is a new and in- teresting way of experiencing a story; of experiencing a show," says Joseph Zammit, who will be playing one of the main parts in the musical. "The music is simply beauti- ful to listen to as it has a vari- ety of light and heavy moments, and the same goes for the story. There isn't a boring moment throughout the whole play, and I think it will take a while for people to forget about this show once they watch it." Written by Tony Award-win- ning composer Jason Robert Brown, this musical won a Dra- ma Desk Award in 2002 for Out- standing Music and Lyrics, and received nominations for a Luci- lle Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical and Outstanding Actor, and for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off- Broadway Musical, among many others. Locally, the Masquerade Thea- tre Company is producing the show, with director Anthony Bezzina at its helm. Rachel Fabri, who recently launched her al- bum in London and who, this weekend, is taking part in the Animae Gospel Choir in Con- cert 2015, will be playing the part of Cathy; while Joseph Zammit will be stepping into the shoes of Jamie Wellerstein. "It's been relatively easy to re- late to this character and it's not surprising at all," he explains. "Even though the situation of the characters in the musical is par- ticular to them, and it's the cause of their own problems, the feel- ings and emotions experienced in this relationship are universal, and they are very well portrayed in this musical. "I have been in a relationship myself – which was one year short of fitting the title, actually – and I've experienced the joys of the first few months – of fall- ing in love and of slowly becom- ing dependent on one another – but I've also experienced the arguments, the growing monot- ony, and the pain and emptiness that follows. From the crush to the being crushed, this musical covers all of that and blends it perfectly into the story." Many theatregoers will rec- ognise Joseph instantaneously. He's a full-time actor, who has performed in pantos, musicals, Shakespearean plays, operas, burlesque shows, concerts, com- edies and drama – you name it! In fact, since he first hit the theatre stage at the age of 19, he has clocked up some 54 differ- ent productions – and he's only 26. But, as Joseph explains, The Last Five Years is 'beautiful and unique'. "It is a beautiful depiction of a five-year relationship," he says. "And it is unique because it tells the story in two different ways: from Cathy's perspective, you see the relationship from end to beginning, whereas from the Jamie's perspective, you see it in chronological order. "It's an unconventional way of telling a love story, granted, but it really works!" he continues. "Following the first song, you learn from Cathy that Jamie end- ed their relationship. After the second song, however, you see Jamie falling in love with Cathy after their first date. Already af- ter the first two songs, by show- ing the end and the beginning of the relationship, the audience is left to wonder what happened in between. And that's what The Last Five Years is all about." As one would expect from a musical, the story is told through song, but the style of music in this one is rather unique. Each song has been written to be act- ed out as a monologue. "There are no pretty and clean songs in the conventional sense," Joseph explains. This musical is made even more unique by the fact that there are only two characters in it, making Joseph and Rachel's interpreta- tion of the story and the songs all the more important. Thank- fully, they are both talented per- formers and singers, and with the guidance of some of the local industry's best minds, they are honing their skills even further. "The rehearsal process has been difficult but rewarding," exclaims Joseph. "This musical is a two- hander and we have seven songs each – seven relatively long and challenging songs, might I add. But we've been rehearsing with our lovely vocal coach Cathy Lawlor since August, and we've now started running it with our director Anthony Bezzina." Joseph and Rachel now have less than a month to go until opening night, and this show promises to blow audiences away. In fact, Masquerade have gone all out with a six-piece live band under the supervision of musical director and band leader Jonathan Ellul, and a custom- made stage by Aldo Moretti, the Italian set designer who just a few weeks ago created the set for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for the Manoel. All is set, in fact, for the local debut of The Last Five Years; a musical which, as Joseph himself points out, "is one of the most underrated out there". The Last Five Years will take place at Blue Box, M Space, Msida, between November 20- 23 and 27-29. Tickets are at €18, €20 and €25. Bookings: http:// bluebox.azurewebsites.net/ Prolific actor Joseph Zammit: "It's been relatively easy to relate to this character" Joseph Zammit and Rachel Fabri are the leads in The Last Five Years, which chronicles a five-year relationship PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN GRECH