Little Fish

'Little Fish', one of Tony-nominated American musical writer Michael John LaChiusa's lighter, more 'fun' pieces, opened Off-Broadway in 2003 to a distinctly unenthusiastic response. This UK premiere, though competently directed by Adam Lenson, explains why. 'Suggested by' short stories by Deborah Eisenberg, 'Little Fish' centres on Charlotte and her New York pals, Kathy and Marco, who all enjoy stuttering personal lives - abusive relationships are a major feature.

The two dozen-plus musical numbers provide numerous occasions for the singers to indulge in lyrical expansion but there's so little tension in the implausibly inconsequential main narrative (Charlotte gives up smoking, has a generally weird time, often in exercise mode at the pool or track, before deciding that it's friends that count) that it's hard to engage with the proceedings as drama. LaChiusa's deftly jazzy score is complex and sophisticated, as are his lyrics, but ultimately so much self-conscious artistry leaves you yearning for the broader pleasures of old-fashioned song-based storytelling.