Live Performance Review - Love Actually? The Musical Parody
Images courtesy of Nicole Cleary.
Love Actually? The Musical Parody at The Athenaeum Theatre had a lot of potential, but ultimately, it didn’t quite hit the mark. As someone who enjoys the film Love Actually—with all its delightful awkwardness and unabashed sentimentality—I was intrigued by the prospect of a musical parody. But what was intended as satire often devolved into an overblown farce.
The show’s premise is simple enough: nine hapless couples navigating the messiness of love during the festive season. The set design was undeniably charming, with pretty Christmas trees and rolling portal doors that evoked a cosy, almost whimsical holiday setting. The cast, too, all delivered commendable vocal performances, and their execution was always full of energy. However, in spite of the solid technical aspects, the humour frequently missed the mark for me, leaning too heavily on slapstick and crude gags rather than incisive satire.
The parody felt too over-the-top, but not in a clever or self-aware way. Much of the humour relied on exaggerated facial expressions, forced physical comedy, and sexual jokes that didn’t land for me. While some moments started off amusing, they quickly became tiresome and cringe-worthy. The Snape storyline, in particular, was baffling and seemed entirely out of place. Frankly, I found myself craving something far more resolute than the glass of chardonnay I was clutching.
That said, Ian Andrews gave an outstanding performance, easily the highlight of the show. His comedic timing and delivery were spot on, and he fully embraced the absurdity of the material. Mitchell Groves was also well cast for the parody, embodying the role with exactly the right amount of camp. Still, despite these strong performances, I couldn’t get past the show’s overall tone. The dance numbers felt awkward, and the sexual humour, rather than feeling playful, came off as forced and juvenile.
If you’re a huge fan of Love Actually and enjoy cringe-comedy that makes you laugh through second-hand embarrassment, this musical parody might be for you. For me, though, it was more miss than hit. The show’s excesses overshadowed any genuine humour, leaving me wishing it had embraced a bit more subtlety.
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Love Actually? The Musical Parody runs from December 6th to 23rd at the Athenaeum Theatre. For more info or to book tickets, click here.