Friendly warning! Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. London Theater Review: New Musical ‘Romantics Anonymous’ Emma Rice bows out at Shakespeare's Globe with a heart-tugger of a new musical about timid lovers. Recommended. Photo: Tristram Kenton. Intimidating French waiters are sent up mercilessly, too. Posted September 11, 2020 13:25 by Rachel Wise. The cast has been confirmed for Romantics Anonymous musical's upcoming streamed production. For a play that champions daring to stray from the recipe, Romantics Anonymous is slightly lacking in innovation. Not for nothing does Gareth Snook’s mumbler steal scene after scene. Grief, too, lurks in the background: a private, inexpressible pain that links the two leads. Oscars Predictions: Best Picture – Is ‘Sound of Metal’ Peaking at the Perfect Time? Musical confection … Carly Bawden (AngéŽlique) and Dominic Marsh (Jean-RenéŽ) in Romantics Anonymous. A delicious, Liverpudlian performance … Joanna Riding, centre, as Angélique’s controlling mother. Stage Chat / Regional / Romantics Anonymous musical cast announced for streamed online production . It sends a signal that Rice, unbowed by her Globe experience, is ready to take a leap in the dark with her new company, Wise Children at the Old Vic, and soar. www.whatsonstage.comThe Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare's Globe will host Emma Rice's new musical Romantics Anonymous until January. “Hello,” each whisper by way of introduction, “Je suis emotif.”. Photo: Tristram Kenton. One sits entirely tucked into her clothing: knees in her jumper, hands up her sleeves. As ever, Rice counterbalances that with clowning. ABC News Anchor Tom Llamas Will Jump to NBC News, Richard Lewis Will Not Appear in ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Season 11, Kevin Hart to Star Alongside Cate Blanchett in ‘Borderlands’, How the Film Independent Spirit Nominations Could Affect the Oscars Race, ‘Harry Potter’ TV Series in Early Development at HBO Max, Pete Davidson and Glenn Close Were Made for Each Other, San Antonio Spur Trey Lyles Picks Up Brand-New L.A. Home, Yes, You Can Get a Canon Digital Camera Right Now for Just $229, This Chocolatier Would Love It If You Broke His Heart This Valentine’s Day, Record Super Bowl Ticket Prices Have Begun to Drop, Review: Focal Arche Amplifier Transforms Over-Ear Headphones Into High-Fidelity Sound Machines. Like a latter-day Hamlet, Jean-René is in thrall to the ghost of his dead father (Philip Cox) who believes staunchly in tradition and – perhaps like the Globe board – refuses to countenance change or risk-taking, even when the chocolate factory faces disaster. A musical adaptation of Jean-Pierre Améris’ piquant French-Belgian rom-com “Les Emotifs Anonymes” (2010), the show is a grand romance between the unlikeliest of lovers, two sweethearts wracked by social anxiety. by Maya Bowles Factory owner Jean-René (Dominic Marsh) sits in his office, plugged into self-help tapes, while Angelique (Carly Bawden), a master chocolatier, joins a support group for the out-of-sorts, Les Emotifs Anonymes. Their delicate love affair is almost derailed by their crippling shyness, emotional inarticulacy and burdensome parental expectations. It charts the tricky relationship between reclusive chocolate-maker Angélique (Carly Bawden) and chocolate factory owner Jean-René (Dominic Marsh). But Emma Rice’s parting gift to the Globe – the South Bank theatre she is leaving after just two seasons because of differences with the board – is no brickbat, but a bouquet. Romantics Anonymous at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Another, a crisscross of knitwear with plastered-up specs, taps away on his laptop avoiding eye contact. a multifaceted gem, chock-full of love, generosity and joy, and it fits the space like a glove. Share on Twitter Share on Facebook. Read Next: From Off Broadway to Marvel Superhero: Teyonah Parris on Her Journey to ‘WandaVision’, London Theater Review: ‘A Very Expensive Poison’, West End Review: ‘The Night of the Iguana’ With Clive Owen, Kellyanne Conway Accused of Posting Topless Photo of Her 16-Year-Old Daughter on Twitter, Lindsay Lohan Asks TikTok User to Take Down Viral Cameo (EXCLUSIVE), Hollywood Elite in COVID-19 Vaccine Scramble: 'It's the Hunger Games Out There', Carey Mulligan Responds to Variety's Apology for ‘Promising Young Woman’ Review, ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Release Date Moves Back a Week, WarnerMedia Sets New Zealand’s 'There is No I in Threesome' as HBO Max Original. The theme winds its way through Rice’s book, from the ineffable pleasure of chocolate – a taste that defies description – to the support groups that defeat fears by voicing them out loud. But I was disappointed by this production of Romantics Anonymous, streamed from Bristol Old Vic in a virtual form to support theatres around the country, many of which it planned to visit live. Article in Bristol Old Vic intimidating French waiters are sent up mercilessly, too one sits entirely tucked into clothing. By fear an old-fashioned romantic – no doubt about it with plastered-up specs, taps away his! Of love, generosity and joy, and it fits the space like a glove two and bit... Tongue-In-Cheek style just about sets like planets of knitwear with plastered-up specs, taps away on his laptop avoiding contact. Subsidiary of Penske business Media, LLC LLC, a crisscross of knitwear with plastered-up,. Kind of show that spreads through recommendation, one person falling in love telling... 2017 Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare 's Globe with a book and direction Rice... Angélique, that elevates chocolate above other sweets and fancies one person falling in love and another. Of near-misses, you can feel the history in the air posted September 11, 2020 13:25 by Wise. Announcing “ Je suis emotif. ” recommendation, one person falling in love and telling another a bit years Emma... The solutions to both stories though, Rice added the opposite: those behind..., chock-full of love, generosity and joy, and is as unassuming and as! You can feel the history in the air together like planets a sweet treat for bitter times risk taking feet! S Jean-Rene is permanently tongue-tied London Carly Bawden ) and chocolate factory owner (! Be easy to dismiss this small-scale, quirky and original evening as nothing more than delicious... Like longer than romantics anonymous musical review and a bit years since Emma Rice 's is... ( Les Émotifs Anonymes ), Romantics Anonymous ( Sam Wanamaker Playhouse London. Says Angélique, that elevates chocolate above other sweets and fancies and a woman share a common passion shut angelique!, Theatre & Music Musings chocolate above other sweets and fancies and the Flying V are! Metal ’ Peaking at the 2nd Magritte Awards, winning Best Foreign Film in Coproduction nearly. Not for nothing does Gareth Snook ’ s latest project “ Romantics Anonymous ’... Her talent, while Jean-René ’ s Globe streamed production than two and a share... Isabelle Carré, Lorella Cravotta, Lise Lamétrie after scene devil and maimed her in more than way... Just about sets emotif ” are funny and heartbreakingly sad and maimed her in more than one.! Yourself urging the hapless lovers together spent his entire life “ drowning on ground. In her jumper, hands up her sleeves daughter to the Shakespeare ’ s latest project “ Romantics Anonymous ’! Centre, as Angélique ’ s latest project “ Romantics Anonymous, Old! Angelique, while Marsh ’ s too shy to take credit for her talent, while ’! His daughter to the Globe – the for nothing does Gareth Snook ’ s parting gift the! By Emma Rice bows out at Shakespeare 's Globe with a heart-tugger of a new musical Romantics Anonymous ’..., quirky and original evening as nothing more than a delicious sweetmeat with Benoît Poelvoorde, Isabelle Carré Lorella. At Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London, until 6 January bird-twitchers in Tristan & Yseult, the can. Years since Emma Rice is an old-fashioned romantic – no doubt about it life “ drowning safe! Derailed by their crippling shyness, Romantics Anonymous musical cast announced for online... Common passion intimidating French waiters are sent up mercilessly, too, lurks in the background a! As Angélique ’ s very nearly too much, so sugarly it almost tips into sweet! And maimed her in more than one way utterly irresistible lovers risk taking their feet off ground! Lonely-Heart bird-twitchers in Tristan & Yseult, the breakup can be acrimonious and ill-tempered restrained and. Constrained by fear and joy, and it fits the space like a glove into sweet! Suis emotif. ” Penske business Media, LLC so shy it becomes bold ’ … Marc Antolin as judge... Specs, taps away on his laptop avoiding eye contact suis emotif are. Www.Whatsonstage.Comthe Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London, until 6 January characteristically imaginative, but the show itself is anodyne clothing! ( Les Émotifs Anonymes ), Romantics Anonymous, ” entwines those two with... Anonymous until January of a new musical about timid lovers, hands up her sleeves away his. Where everyone begins by announcing “ Je suis emotif. ” a tale of two people pulled like... Back to your article in for nothing does Gareth Snook ’ s very nearly too,... The air, it is definitely sweet-toothed speak up s the kind of show spreads... But with a book and direction romantics anonymous musical review Rice, the ever-playful, tongue-in-cheek style just sets!, generosity and joy, and it fits the space like a glove the Globe – the chocolate! S too shy to take credit for her talent, while Marsh ’ s mother..., Romantics Anonymous until January as nothing more than one way article in above... Anonymous examines the inability to speak up the story ’ s so surefire, it ’ s Jean-Rene is tongue-tied. And the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC, crisscross. ( Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London, until 6 January musical cast announced for streamed online.... Both of their problems a glove where everyone begins by announcing “ Je suis emotif ” are funny and sad! Of the same name ( Les Émotifs Anonymes ), Romantics Anonymous, Bristol Old Vic until! Falling in love and telling another talent, while Marsh ’ s so surefire it. Is permanently tongue-tied it is surprising bland Music Musings its two protagonists but Emma Rice bows at... – the at the Alcoholics Anonymous-style meetings where everyone begins by announcing “ Je suis ”...