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Midnight at the Never Get review – Ben Platt soars in honey-hearted cabaret-musical of 60s sweethearts
A new stage production, Midnight at the Never Get, has opened at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London, starring Ben Platt as Trevor Copeland, a bar-singer looking back on his relationship with songwriter Arthur Brightman, played by Gregor Milne. The show, created by Mark Sonnenblick and directed by David Cromer, is reviewed favourably as a bittersweet, nostalgic cabaret-musical charting the pair's love affair as two gay musicians navigating New York in the 1960s.
The production is staged as an intimate cabaret, with Platt delivering polished American Songbook-style numbers alongside a live band, while Milne anchors the story both as a character and as pianist. As the narrative unfolds, the couple face the political pressures of their era, forcing a choice between protest and assimilation, which adds emotional weight to the show's exploration of memory, love and loss.
In short
- Ben Platt stars in new cabaret-musical at London's Menier Chocolate Factory.
- Show follows two gay musicians' romance in 1960s New York.
- Reviewer praises the cast, songs and bittersweet, nostalgic tone.
Explained simply
Midnight at the Never Get is a new cabaret-musical that has opened at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London. The production tells the story of two gay musicians in 1960s New York, examining their relationship alongside the political and social challenges of that era.
The show stars Ben Platt as Trevor Copeland, a bar-singer, and Gregor Milne as Arthur Brightman, a songwriter and pianist. Created by Mark Sonnenblick and directed by David Cromer, the intimate production features Platt performing American Songbook-style numbers alongside a live band, with Milne providing both musical accompaniment and dramatic support.
The narrative centres on how the two musicians' relationship develops against the backdrop of the 1960s, when being openly gay carried significant personal and professional risks. The production explores themes of memory, love and loss as it traces the couple's experiences as artists navigating their lives during this historical moment.
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