Goodbye Charlie Starr is a show about a successful rockstar who unexpectedly dies in a car crash. Following her death, friends and family come together to commemorate and reflect on her life with a special gig dedicated to her work. Written by third year music students Alex Wedlock and Avril Tricker, it is one of the latest creations to come out of Bath Spa University. As said by co-writer Alex Wedlock “the show is all about beginnings, endings and dreams”. The interesting twist that this show brings is its unique concept; half play, half gig. This proved to be very effective in keeping the audiences’ interest throughout the show. As the show begins, we discover the really clever use of the space, as if the audience are ghosts sitting amongst the characters. The use of lighting as a device to differentiate between flashbacks and present time makes the change very clear and easy to follow. With regards to performance, each actor embraces their character very well, but markedly Avril Tricker delivers a solid and genuine portrayal of Charlie Starr. The gig aspect of the show is seamlessly incorporated and exhibits further talent from both Alex and Avril, as well as the brilliant backing musicians. The high grade of composition for each song allows further character building and I still had Footprints in my head the next day! I enjoyed the casual and realistic writing of this piece; particularly from the character Nigel with his perfectly timed one-liners. On a critical note, I felt the main story lacked some substance, as the show ended on an abrupt note and there also could have been a more compelling story to Charlie Starr’s life. Overall, the contrast of this show to your bog-standard musical is refreshing and engaging, so catch this show whilst you still can.

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Hannah Carney