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Broadway musical The Last Five Years being staged in Ryde

Ashleigh Mackness and Josh Rettie star in The Last Five Years. <i>(Image: Horse Box Theatre)</i>
Ashleigh Mackness and Josh Rettie star in The Last Five Years. (Image: Horse Box Theatre)

A former department store on Cross Street in Ryde will be transformed into a Manhattan bar for the latest production to be stage there.

Broadway musical The Last Five Years is having an intimate staging at Department thanks to Horse Box Theatre.

The musical by Jason Robert Brown tells the story of two New Yorkers as they fall in and out of love over the course of five years.

The musical, which was recently reprised in the West End, is known for its unconventional structure.

The audience will see the story in reverse from Cathy’s point of view, starting at the end of their tumultuous relationship.

Meanwhile, Jamie’s story is told chronologically from when the couple first met.

The pair only cross paths once, at their wedding, which falls in the middle of the show.

Tickets are on sale at www.horseboxtheatre.com 

Ashleigh Mackness stars as Cathy. She is one of the top musical theatre actors on the Island with a number of professional credits to her name.

Starring opposite Mackness is Josh Rettie as Jamie. Josh spent five years performing on cruise ships and toured in the 60s inspired show, Twist and Shout.

Staged in the traverse with the audience on two sides of the long catwalk stage, this two-hander musical is an intimate exploration of the ups and downs of the relationship.

This new production is directed by the artistic director of Horse Box Theatre, Joe Plumb, who directed Oliver! at the Apollo Theatre in September.

He said: “I’ve gone from one of the largest casts to one of the smallest! But what a cast!

"Ashleigh and Josh are phenomenal performers who bring so much depth to these fantastic characters. It is an absolute delight directing them both.

"The audience are in for a real treat with this show - it is going to be something very special.”

Tony Careless and Rosie Hayward lead the live band, the first time they have worked as musical directors together since their successful production of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ventnor Theatre Group before the pandemic.

Performances take place on Friday, June 23, Saturday, June 24, Friday, June 30 and Saturday, July 1, at 8pm.