This thoughtful and poignant musical based on the popular manga is a love letter to the power of music.
Musicals of course rely a lot on music, but I have yet to see another musical quite like Your Lie in April which places music so deeply embedded into the very fabric of the story to enhance the emotion and place emphasis on just how powerful music can be.
Based on the immensely popular manga by Naoshi Arakawa, Your lie in April is the story of Kōsei Arima who has lost his ability to hear music in the wake of his mother passing away. While his friends Tsubaki and Ryota try their best to coax him back into playing the piano it is ultimately the arrival of young violinist Kaori Miyazono who helps him rediscover his talent while working through his feelings of grief, love and courage.
This arrival of the musical into the West End follows two successful concert performances in April and in this fully fledged production proves why it deserves a longer run in London.
Directed with great sensitivity and poignancy by Nick Winston, Your Lie in April is filled with touching moments that never feel over blown and the audience truly get to see Kōsei Arima’s journey and him falling back in love with music – including a stunning piano performance by Zheng Xi Young as Kōsei Arima. This gentleness is also reflected in the pastel coloured use of lighting by Rory Beaton that captures the fragile nature of the characters emotional state perfectly.
Frank Wildhorn’s music and Carly Robyn Green and Tracy Miller’s lyrics have some really lovely moments with songs such as the wistful sounding ‘Just Like a Movie’ and ‘In Your Hands’ contrasting nicely with more playful numbers such as ‘4.9 (Speed of Sound)’.
That is not to say that Your lie in April is completely perfect. You are left with questions about Kōsei Arima’s relationship with his mother which seemed to be filled with contrasts and a few scenes seem a little bit rushed – particularly in the second act in which heartbreak is right at the centre of it.
However, there is plenty of assured performances to be enjoyed here. Mia Kobayashi making her professional debut as Kaori is a delight to watch – filled with a bubbly personality and sweetly delicate vocals, her performance feels completely grounded and natural. Her chemistry with Xi Yong as Kōsei Arima is spot on and they come across as a couple that you can really get behind and support. Meanwhile, Xi Yong is a real quadruple threat – not only can he sing and dance with great lightness and offer great thoughtfulness into his performance his performance on the piano is really extraordinary and in the second act offers a real treat.
Rachel Clare Chan offers a brilliantly feisty performance as Tsubaki Sawabe, brilliantly highlighting her loyalty but also masking her own feelings for Kōsei Arima. Dean John Wilson as Ryota is clearly having great fun, offering a playful performance that ensures that the sense of anime-manga vibe of youth is on show – which is also on display in many other little details throughout the production.
Perhaps by the end of the first act you can see exactly where the story is heading, but Your Lie in April is a poignant and enjoyable addition to the West End.
By Emma Clarendon
Your Lie in April will run at the Harold Pinter theatre until the 21st September. To book tickets visit: Love Theatre.com, London Theatre Direct or London Box Office.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐