If you’re reading this review you probably like musicals? We all wish in some way our lives played out like the ones we see on stage. I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical has garnered a staggering fifty plus five star reviews having successfully ran at The Edinburgh Fringe for several years. The show is now heading out across the U.K. and Ireland as well as returning to Scotland as part of the 2024 festival line up.

I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical takes its audience behind the curtain and presents a ‘comedic’ take on the weird and wonderful world of musical theatre. Four actors portray each character on stage, from the leading actors to the understudies, crew and even the audience are targeted in this 70 minute straight through show.

Alexander S Bermange provides piano accompaniment on stage as-well as being the writer of the songs. They are everything you’d expect to see and hear in a musical. Ranging from the big opening number to awkward scene stealing duets to everyone’s favourite show stopping dance numbers. The songs come thick and fast with a small amount of dialogue (which came to be expected very quickly) proceeding each number giving the audience an insight into the thought process ahead of the performance.

There are clever elements in each song and numerous references to a whole host of musical stars and shows. The show feels more of a song cycle than a musical with the numbers feeling flitting and random. Whilst the tone is meant to be comedic it borders on mocking with intent and very few laugh out loud moments. The score started to become monotonous and for a simple, straight through show lacked the needed story arc or character developments to keep the audience engaged throughout.

The cast of four (Luke Harley, Sev Keoshgerian, Jessi O’Donnell and Julie Yammanee) do the best they can with the material but lack impact as an ensemble. Each portray several characters and should be commended for their dedication to each. Individually they sell their numbers, especially O’Donnell during ‘Diva In The House’ but in numbers like ‘Superfan’ appear uninspiring. Musical numbers about actors singing out of key (or no key at all) were jarring, confusing and unnecessary. How many west end leading ladies have you heard that can’t hold a tune? The piece feels like ideas that on their own merit would work well but when put together don’t quite work as seamlessly.

The finale consists of a slow, heartfelt song ‘Magic’s Making Me’ which is in contrast to the entire feel of the show and felt like it didn’t belong. This was followed by an encore which again was another drastic tonal shift where excessive swearing seemingly came out of nowhere for comedic effect. This was deemed the ‘high’ to end the show and send audiences on their way. Choreography (Matthew Parker) is literal throughout the numbers, lacking creativity but makes use of the small intimate space of Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre well. There is an abundance of creative decisions that could have been made but instead the audience is left yearning for more.

I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical is predictable and ultimately lacks the comedy element that it intends to portray to tie the piece together as a whole. Whilst there is no doubt certain musical lovers will enjoy parts of the show, as a fully rounded piece of work it feels like it is very much suited to an Edinburgh Fringe audience and didn’t translate as-well on this particular performance.

★★

*Reviewed on press night on behalf of Curtain Call Reviews. Gifted ticket in exchange for an honest review.

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Photography supplied by production.