For those unfamiliar, The Time Traveller’s Wife is Audrey Niffenegger’s enduringly popular 2003 novel which has already been adapted into a film and a TV series – so a stage show seems the next logical progression.
This production stars David Hunter (Kinky Boots, Waitress) as time traveller Henry and Joanna Woodward (Pretty Woman) as wife Clare; over the course of two and a half hours we follow their non-linear story through the 1980s and 1990s.
With music written by Joss Stone and Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart, and a book by Lauren Gunderson, we were expecting something rather special.
The result, however, doesn’t entirely live up to expectations – this new musical is rather a mixed bag. First of all, this is very much a show of two halves – the first act is distinctly unimpressive, with pedestrian music and an unnecessary amount of exposition.