Rosie is just a regular young woman, but her brain is a bit "off" (her words!) We join her on a journey of self-discovery, acceptance, and love through her life as she grapples with her OCD and symptoms of anxiety.
Evelyn Rose (composer, writer, and performer of the piece) is the beating heart of this production - her infectious warmth and vulnerability are astounding from the moment she enters the space, immediately connecting with the audience and only strengthening our bond throughout the hour and 10 minutes she spends with us. Her ability to seamlessly switch between distinctive characters is exceptional, never once losing her footing or confusing the audience in the process. In fact, we are rapt from the get-go in this narrative, and so invested in relationships that she manages to create with such vibrancy even though it's all just her - truly, a masterclass in the one-person performance. Beautifully directed with such subtlety by Lucrezia Galeone and Josh Vaatstra, and enhanced by gorgeously simple lighting by Karim Shohdy, Rosie makes brilliant use of the small space, ensuring every single member of the crowd feels like we are sat alone with her having a conversation.
What is most memorable are the moments of powerfully honest vulnerability. Never over-indulged (if anything, we long for more time with Rosie to sit in some of the more painful sections of the piece), we are faced with a raw and powerful portrayal of how it feels to live life consumed by mental ill-health. The performance is beautifully relatable for anyone who has experienced something similar, and deeply affecting for everyone in the room.
The shifts from scene to song are sometimes a little clunky, especially when Rosie picks up an instrument to start playing - certainly not spoiling the piece in any way, but as the momentum for this production grows, it would be great to see a small band take up space without the need for Rosie to accompany herself. What will elevate Rosie's Brain to the next level (something quite exceptional) will be further collaboration on its script, music, and lyrics. While genuinely wonderful as it is, we long for more complex and cohesive music and interesting lyrics as well as a slight tightening of certain moments of comedy in the script - all of which will no doubt come with further time and investment. It would be great to see the final monologue worked on too - while incredibly beautiful, being able to articulate the concept that mental health diagnoses needn't define you without undermining those diagnoses which can be a lifeline for some people is a delicate balancing act to master and could be done ever so slightly more effectively here.
In short, a very special must-see musical that will have you laughing, crying, and feeling hopeful about the world and the people in it.
Catch it while you can at The Hope Theatre until 8th February.
Review: Penny Lane