15/09/2024
Reshare from ✨
I love ticking another theatre off my list - last night it was The Capitol in Horsham, which is home to the professional premiere of Barista the Musical until the 21st of September!
It was a really strong first performance delivered by this brilliant cast led by Sara Bartos and George Crawford, who were both fantastic. Sara has some gorgeous songs and the perfect voice for them. The cast received a well deserved standing ovation at the end.
Barista follows the story of Isabella, who moves from her home in Columbia and finds herself working at Andy’s coffee shop. Andy’s trying to keep his late grandfather’s shop alive, and Isabella comes to realise some family truths.
The narrative is a good mix of fun and drama, with a love story at its core. I felt the first act needed a bit more impact, but this was more than made up for with the tension built after the interval.
I greatly enjoyed the style of the music, which is accompanied by lots of vibrant Latin inspired choreography from Strictly pro Pasha Kovalev. There’s even a paso doble moment which was a highlight!
The design of the show is beautiful. There are screens surrounding the stage which help the narrative shift locations quickly, and the lighting design was gorgeous.
I’m looking forward to following the progression of Barista. I love seeing new musicals, and there’s always a really exciting buzz at the first performance. If you can get to Horsham, I’d really recommend going along and supporting this new show.