Ex review, Soho

Ex is a musical in which Ruby meets up with Jack to tell him she's moving to America to live with Keith, but she still sort of loves Jack so they joust and pout and fall into each other's arms. Happy ever after? If only life were that simple. By the end of Rob Young's musical, all that's certain is love hurts.

Four cornered spat

In the programme, Young states: "I thought it would be funny to write a show about meeting your ex in a bar. It has all the nerves of a first date, yet you've already seen their bum." Ruby's bum certainly gets mentions, as do her ginger hair and her moles. Jack isn't a sexy prospect either - belly popping and dishevelled, he is a serial cheat, tight-fisted, geographically challenged and dull. That, according to the narrative, makes him hot. So far, not so good. Too much effort being funny, too little on providing drama.

But... in part 2, Jack's latest discard, Claire (Siobhan Dillon) arrives. As tall as Jack and Ruby are short, she's warm, glamorous, sings sweetly and tap dances too. Things start looking up. Enter the gangly Keith: no charisma but also a hoofer. At last we have love and action. Will the honest man end up with the good-hearted girl, or will he stick with the poison dwarf? Will Jack be dispatched somewhere as grubby as his mind, or does he finally find love?

In conclusion:  All four leads are good singers and Ross Lorraine's music works well with Chris Whitehead at piano. There are laughs, bodacious lyrics and some good numbers, but the first act needs a sharper narrative drive and pace.

References
Soho Theatre, tickets