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Ever thought ‘what if I’d made another decision?’ For instance, what if it hadn’t been journalism, but botany? Well, such Sliding Doors thinking is behind the hit US musical IF/THEN, which has announced a second London date on 17th February to follow its London debut tonight.
IF/THEN is by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning creators Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, and follows Elizabeth, a city planner returning to New York after twelve years to rebuild her life after a divorce. She reaches a point where she has a choice between two different activities: either go off with her old friend Lucas at a political rally. Or head out with her new neighbour Kate for a bit of music and fun. We then follow the parallel lives Elisabeth goes down.
Appearing as Elisabeth – or Liz and Beth in the two different worlds – is West End legend Kerry Ellis, and playing one of her love interests Josh, is another West End legend Adam Garcia.
We spoke to Ellis and Garcia as they were in the thick of rehearsals, for what has been an ultra-fast turnaround for the production, a mere two weeks in fact. Clearly buzzing off the adrenaline of the situation, Ellis says, “This may not happen again. To get this group of people together in the Savoy Theatre with a wonderful band, a wonderful creative team when we're only doing it twice… it is a rare opportunity. And it means there's extra excitement in that room.”
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Garcia adds, “This show's never been done in the UK. It may not be done in the UK again. So this is the right opportunity to come and see what is, I think, an incredible story.”
The set-up certainly is, one which everyone can relate to. Ellis says, “We always make a decision and then think what if I'd have made the other decision? In this show, you get to see how both of those choices play out. But predominantly it's about relationships and it's very human, it's very emotional. Friendships, love, loss.”
“This story in particular, is incredibly nuanced and personal and heartfelt and real,” says Garcia, “It’s almost like a play. I guess some people think musicals are a little bit more heightened, but this is not necessarily heightened. This is a play with music.”
The pair are old friends, having worked together in the West End on Wicked, and you get the sense that they are having a ball together, turning this around so quickly.
Says Ellis, “There's nothing better than working with your friends and people that you already know and care about. That's always a joy. It just means you're kind of ten steps ahead when you go into the room on day one.”
“Yeah, certainly and the characters we're playing, there's got to be connection and warmth,” says Garcia, “Knowing each other helps, you’ve already broken that ice, you've got history and I certainly feel… well, possibly too comfortable.”
Ellis: “We're willing to take risks with each other. We don't have any fear around that.”
Garcia: “Like this morning, I hit such a bad note and Kerry just laughed.”
She laughs again at that. And quite honestly, anyone who heads along to this production is clearly going to have a great time time.
As for their own personal Sliding Doors moments, Garcia has one: “Specifically there was an opportunity for me to go to Broadway and do Saturday Night Fever and then I got a movie called Coyote Ugly and I never got to play Broadway. But obviously Coyote Ugly will changed my life and if I hadn’t, I wouldn't have met my wife, and had my children. And that is what the story is about.
It always comes back to: I don't really have any regrets. There's nothing you can do to go back. But I guess the beauty of this show is you get to explore the very nature of that question.”
