David Hunter is no stranger to the stage, having starred in West End productions like Waitress and The Time Traveler’s Wife. Now, he’s taking on a new challenge in the staged concert performances of If/Then, the Broadway musical making its London debut. David shares his excitement, insights, and the unique challenges of bringing this complex narrative to life.
If/Then explores the concept of how a single decision can lead to vastly different life outcomes. Hunter explains the premise: “It’s a sliding doors kind of idea, or a ‘what if’ scenario, I suppose, where Elizabeth, played by the brilliant Kerry Ellis, faces a very everyday decision about which friend she’s going to join for the rest of that day.” This seemingly innocuous choice splits the narrative into the story of Liz and of Beth, two parallel timelines of Elizabeth’s life.
The complexity of the story presents unique challenges for the cast. Hunter admits, “Just remembering which version Kerry is at any point is quite tough, is she Liz now or is she Beth? And what position are we in with one another? It’s fun, it’s exciting, it keeps you on your toes.” To keep track, he’s developed a clever mnemonic: “I’ve got this idea at the minute because Liz is wearing glasses and Beth isn’t. So I decided in my head to call her ‘long sighted Liz’. And that’s how I remember it.”
David takes on the role of Lucas, a character he describes as sincere. “He’s a character who wears his heart on his sleeve and is passionate and believes in things passionately,” Hunter explains. “We see him in quite different guises, really. I suppose one of the main things is he’s an activist and he’s always protesting in various ways, which is how he becomes intertwined with various parts of Beth’s life.”
The role offers Hunter a range of emotional landscapes to explore. “We see him dreaming of a relationship with Beth and also in a relationship with David, and so we see him in all sorts of different guises and different parts of his life,” he shares. This variety is part of what drew Hunter to the role: “For me as an actor, there’s an awful lot of lovely things to get your teeth into and great songs and music to enjoy as well.”
The score, composed by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, holds a special place in Hunter’s heart. “It’s that beautiful sort of early 2000s American contemporary sound, which I love. It’s the sort of musical theatre that made me fall in love with musical theatre,” he enthuses. Hunter describes the music as a blend of styles, reminiscent of shows like Rent and Next to Normal, with a touch of The Last Five Years.
When asked about his favourite songs, Hunter struggles to choose just one. “Gosh, they’re all really good. I’ve really enjoyed ‘What The F***,'” he says, quickly adding, “which you can asterisk out if you need to.” He also mentions “Ain’t No Man Manhattan” and his solo “You Don’t Need To Love Me” as standout numbers.
Bringing a New York-centric show to London presents its own set of challenges. Hunter acknowledges that some of the specific references might not land as strongly with a London audience. “There are a few very specific lines about New York, that I’m sure New Yorkers found hilarious when it played on Broadway, but I think, generally speaking, people in London will still get it, and I know that the core of the story will resonate regardless of location.”
With just over a week left in rehearsals, David and the cast are working at a breakneck pace. “It felt an awful lot. So at the beginning of the week, I was going, oh, this feels like a lot. This is going to be hard,” he admits. But he’s finding the tight schedule invigorating: “I actually think when you’ve got four weeks to rehearse something, you can mess about a bit because you know the pressure isn’t on. And I think probably what we do in the last two weeks is what we’re having to do now.”
As the interview wraps up, Hunter jokingly reveals that while he might have fewer costume changes than in The Time Traveler’s Wife, he’s been given a new challenge: props. “I have noticed that I’ve started being given a lot of props in this show,” he laughs. “It’s the same director that we had for The Time Traveler’s Wife, and I’m sure he’s trying to punish me in some way!”
With its intricate storyline, powerful music, and talented cast, If/Then promises to be a unique experience for London audiences. As David Hunter prepares to bring Lucas to life on stage, his enthusiasm is palpable. “It’s amazing what we’re doing with this, it’ll be a really lovely, refined bit of theatre by the time we get there,” he says, looking forward to opening night.
