The Last Five Years – Barn Theatre
The new production of The Last Five Years is a Built by Barn production from Barn Theatre, Reading Rep Theatre and Theatre Royal Bath. It will star Martha Kirby as Kathy and Guy Woolf as Jamie.
The hit musical follows two New Yorkers in a relationship that’s lasted five years so far. The question is whether they can remain united as their lives move in different directions.
A twisting plot sees Jamie’s side of the story start at the moment they meet. Cathy’s story starts at the end moving backwards. The pair meet once in the middle.
It’s a smart, entertaining and heartfelt musical.
Director Hal Chambers said that he’s been longing to direct the show for over 20 years, being a “passionate admirer” of Jason Robert Brown’s work. He called the storytelling music and emotional depth in the show “unmatched”.
“The narrative structure, with Cathy moving backwards through time and Jamie forwards, creates a compelling theatrical puzzle reminiscent of a Christopher Nolan film,” he says.
“It feels like a haunting memory play – dreamlike, poetic, and full of magical realism. Our production will lean into that, using bold imagery and movement to explore the ghosts of a relationship and the raw beauty of love and heartbreak. The music is breath-taking – joyful, witty, devastating – and I can’t wait to bring it to life with our cast. Performed in intimate venues, our vision promises a deeply personal and emotionally resonant Last Five Years that captures the show’s unique intimacy and power.”