Review: No Wasted Time Seeing Wasted Love

Short, simple, (twistedly) sweet, and above all, hilarious.

Not much longer than an hour’s running time, there is no wasted time seeing Wasted Love; one of the most engaging shows I’ve seen in a while. There are no lulls at any point in the performance, and intervals between audience laughter are also sparse.

The show is about six characters (all varying levels of bizarre), and their difficulties in moving on from failed relationships. At their group therapy sessions they all come together to share their stories and slowly make progress, through the help of song and four-part harmony.

The casting for this show is critically important, and for the most part, the actors seemed to seamlessly embody the crazed, yet real emotions of their characters. Part of why they were able to maintain this sense of being average people, with more or less average relationship issues, was because most of the cast would not be considered traditionally great singers. Yes, Wasted Love is a musical, but it is the actors’ performances, not their singing, that makes the show.

Perhaps the most notable performance came from Luke Hier, whose character’s story gives the show its more convoluted edge, and yet, whom the audience could nonetheless remain empathetic towards. Emily Hill was also particularly hilarious as the shy girl who constantly teeters on the edge of a breakdown, and remains seemingly sweet and adorable whilst repeatedly contemplating killing her ex.

Though Wasted Love’s script speaks for itself with its clever and highly comedic dialogue and musical numbers, which made it a hit at the Fringe, Mark Gregory deserves to be recognized for his direction. The close atmosphere of the Barron made it the perfect venue for this show, where the actor’s over-the-top facial expressions tended to speak louder than any lyrics or words. In this regard, a special mention should go to Adam Robbie (whose role in the show was much greater than that of the typical pianist), and whose truly creepy stare during the song, “Killer,” was surprisingly disconcerting.

There are, however, a few moments in Wasted Love that are intended to be a bit more subdued than the otherwise upbeat numbers, and which I do not feel were executed to their full potential. Allowing these more truthful moments would not deflect from the show’s comedic value, but moreover, give it a fuller emotional reality, as moving on from a failed relationship can be beautiful if only for the fact that everyone experiences it at some point.

Whether or not you typically appreciate musicals, this is a show that anyone would enjoy. Come the end of the performance, my only regret was that I wanted more! So, if you are looking for quick entertainment, I highly recommend getting an hour’s worth of laughs at Wasted Love.

Wasted Love continues tonight and tomorrow at the Barron at 7.30pm.