With a sell-out, acclaimed run at Kiln Theatre under its belt, Kit Buchan and Jim Barne’s Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) transfers to the Criterion Theatre. This sweet addition to the West End isn’t your typical musical fare, and its move to a bigger theatre feels no less intimate than its previous run. Intimacy is important here, because this is a two-hander, and as an audience we’re immersed (albeit briefly) in the lives of two very different characters.
There’s a lot going on for a show with a cast of two. Dougal has landed in New York to attend his father’s wedding, a man that he’s never met. Dispatched to collect him from the airport is the (much younger) bride’s sister, Robin, born and raised in Brooklyn.
Dougal is endearingly naïve, and as a film buff, expects NYC to be just as it appears in every movie he’s ever seen. Robin on the other hand, is acutely aware just how unforgiving the city can be, especially for minimum wage workers.
It may be a case of opposites attract, and Dougal and Robin are certainly that, but Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) cleverly steers its narrative away from the traditional rom-com structure and instead gives us an immensely touching story of how two people who have never met can have a profound impact on each other.
There are similarities between Dougal and Robin too, a need to please or gain approval of family for example. As each of their stories unfold, our understanding and empathy for them grows, it’s a masterclass in character development from Buchan and Barne.
Directed with a nuanced flair by Tim Jackson, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) is a comedy first and foremost, and our leads have perfectly mastered the comic timing required to pull off the delicate balance between humour and pathos.
The opening number, ‘New York’, introduces us immediately to Barne and Buchan’s spectacular score, which is constantly surprising, and consistently satisfying. From moving ballads like ‘About to Go in’ and ‘Dad’, to beat based numbers such as ‘On The App’, and uplifting anthems like ‘This is the Place’, Two Strangers is a delicious listen where one slice is never enough; it’s bursting with songs that you’ll want to listen to over and over again (the eight track EP is available to stream should you need to scratch the itch).
Soutra Gilmour’s set design sees towers of suitcases rotate to create different aspects of the cityscape. It provides both height and depth to Tim Jackson’s energetic production, and allows the audience to focus on the cast. And you won’t want to take your eyes off them; Sam Tutty and Dujonna Gift are sensational.
Both enjoy a fair few solo numbers, and Gift completely captivates the audience with songs like ‘What’ll It Be’ and ‘Be Happy’. But when Sam Tutty and Dujonna Gift sing together, the result is breath-taking; delicate like a coconut chiffon, smoother than a white chocolate ganache.
Tutty gives Dougal the boundless energy and enthusiasm of an overly affectionate puppy, which pairs beautifully with Gift’s charmingly cynical Robin. Both have embraced the comical elements of the role, but by nature of the character, it’s Tutty who enjoys the bigger laughs, while at the same time packing a punch in the more emotional moments.
In a West End already rich with decadent musicals, this sits proudly as the cherry on top. An incredible new British musical, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) is uniquely special, it will melt your heart, and give you hope that your fortune can be changed by someone you’ve yet to meet.
