A new production of Rent, produced by Michael Neri, has arrived at the historic Old Rep theatre in Birmingham. Local actors from across the West Midlands have been cast in order to promote young, home-grown talent, and presumably to go some way to pushing the contemporary relevance of the musical. And the potential here is massive.

The opening night performance was beset by technical complications, ones that were difficult to ignore. Mics dropped out mid-song, tables trembled underfoot, heels were lost, and a guitar crashed to the ground during a pivotal, emotional moment. There were stumbles and trips. A bench broken during an opening number remained on-stage, its dishevelment garnering a strange totemic quality. But amid the muddle, the spirit of the production shone through.

The feeling in the stalls was clear – the audience were willing the show to rise above the difficulties –and whether the cast were bolstered by that or not, they all seemed to improve as the clock ticked on. The second half was five times better than the first half. There is always a certain level of expectation attached to “Seasons of Love,” and it was well met. Sterling work.

There was a tangible shift in the room when Maureen (an effervescent Ashleigh Aston) finally graced the stage, having been discussed for so long. Her introductory number, “Over The Moon,” was one of the highlights of the evening. Indeed, Aston was superb throughout. Her natural energy and animation seemed to enthuse the rest of the cast.

Mark (Joe Ashman), as the man whose camera lens and narration provides our entry-point into the story, has to be an appealing and engaging stage presence. He must contrast the coolness of Roger (Tim Gough), so sometimes his neuroses are played up too much, but Ashman played it just right. He managed to create quick chemistry with everyone else, and especially Gough.

Speaking of chemistry, we come to the couples: there’s Angel (Tom Tilley) and Collins (Rhys Owen, whose outstanding “I’ll Cover You” had more than a few audience members on their feet), Maureen and Joanne (Sophie Poulton, an absolute professional in the face of the worst mic issues), and Roger and Mimi (Jessica Singer). The first two were fine, but could learn from the romance of the latter. Gough and Singer’s interactions were coy but candid, and felt authentic. Their relationship woes affect the audience emotionally far more than the obstacles that hit each of the other couples, despite the varying magnitudes. Indeed, it was only in “I’ll Cover You” that Angel and Collins’s relationship first felt sincere, on this opening night.

The cast has not been poorly chosen, but as an ensemble, a couple of things stood out. Considering that the musical has historically been praised for its essential diversity, and its narrative centres on the poor artist-activist scene of 1980s downtown New York, the mass lily-whiteness feels unfitting.

Also, a certain sense of having lived is missing. Do the cast know what all of the references in “La Vie Boheme” mean? Can they imagine the day-to-day of taking AZT? Hardship is not only an outfit worn for a night on-stage. Now, of course, artifice is the aim of the game here, but all the group (bar Singer, who does this best) could do better to portray the personal burdens of their characters.

The costuming, too, raises an eyebrow. This is America in the late ‘90s! There are so many wonderful, culturally-specific influences to draw from, an inordinate amount of fashion looks and references, yet for the most part, the costuming feels like an after-thought.

I feel like I am being harsh on a show that I thoroughly enjoyed, but lest it seem that way, let me reiterate that the potential here is massive. Neri has done a fantastic job for his first show. His cast marched on through technical difficulties brilliantly and, barring those, it was well polished. The staging was simple and effectively used, and the choreographed sequences were all super. Tweaking and tuning could turn this into something even better. Only because of that do I criticise. Watch this space.    Will Amott   27th July 2016