The Little Big Things @ Sohoplace, London
Joyous, life-affirming with imaginative staging, delightful singing and fully creative use of space — such is The Little Big Things. A modern musical based on a true life story.
At 17, Henry Fraser was a sports-focused teenager in a loving, sporty family. He goes to Portugal on his first holiday away from the family with his brothers, dives and unfortunately damages vertebrae in his neck. The seabed is undulating rock, making it appear deeper than it was in reality — suddenly he and his family’s lives change forever. Henry is now paralysed from the neck/shoulders down and everyone has to adapt to a lot of change very quickly, not to mention the family home. However his trademark shoulder shrug is going to come in useful — in powering a wheelchair.
Rather than being a ‘why me?’ or angsty or inspirational, this is a beautiful musical of valuing life, of living the life you have now and moving forward. Using coloured projections, we experience Henry’s growing love of art, his akward stumbling into romance with the girl of his dreams Katie (Gracie McGonigal), and even experience his art work as he becomes a talented by mouth artist. We also get inside his brothers’ and parents’ emotions as they react to Henry’s accident and try to support him.
With a distinctive poppy score and great lyrics, energetic and imaginative staging — including wirework, we meet Henry before and after the accident, (so there are two actors on stage for most of the time, played by Jonny Amies and Ed Larkin). We see how he and his family deal with a lot of change really quickly, and the positive input of medical professionals and his Physio (Amy Trigg). Even so there’s variety too — a delightful gospel flavoured number with a costume change celebrating the NHS ‘Work of Heart’, a sea shanty inspired number sung by Henry’s boat and rugby fixated dad ‘Miles and Miles’, and a colourful joyful number at the end ‘The Little Big Things’.
Wonderfully this is an inclusive designed stage — apt for a story about a wheelchair user. And the fun doesn’t end there — there’s Latin clubbing in a scene set on the brothers’ Portugal holiday ‘Uma Vida’ and hilarious monopoly themed clubbing (with his Mum and Physio) in ‘Things We Shouldn’t Do’. Plus heaps of energy radiating from Jordan Benjamin as youngest brother Dom, whenever he’s on stage.
Ending as a whirling celebration at Henry’s first art exhibition — with guest visitor Johnny Wilkinson (not shown!) the explosions of colourful paper streamers, smoke machines and literal flying are all well-deserved. Equally admirably, the production fully uses its space, colour and art to their full potential too.
Most of all it’s about love — of brothers, family, parents, carers, medical professionals, friends, the world we’re in and art.
Read more about Henry Fraser here:
Little Big Things: Story of mouth artist Henry Fraser heads to the stage — BBC News
Get a flavour of the cast recording and its joyousness here: