Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Stage musical

Two Strangers

(Carry a Cake Across New York)

Off-West End Promotional Poster

Music| Jim Barne
Lyrics| Kit Buchan
Book| Kit Buchan
Premiere| 5 November 2019: New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich
Productions| 2019 Ipswich and Northampton
2023 London
2024 West End

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) is a British musical by Jim Barne and Kit Buchan. The play was first produced in 2019 in Ipswich and Northampton, starring Tori Allen-Martin and Alex Cardall.[1] A new production opened at Kiln Theatre in 2023, starring Dujonna Gift and Sam Tutty. In April 2024, it transferred to the Criterion Theatre in the West End.[2]

Under its previous title The Season, the show received a Stage Debut Award, for Best Composer, Lyricist or Book Writer, and before that also the Stiles & Drewe Mentorship prize.[3][4]

## Production history

[edit]

### Ipswich & Northampton (2019)

[edit]

Originally called The Season,[5] Two Strangers was co-produced by the New Wolsey Theatre and Royal & Derngate, directed by Tim Jackson, and starred Tori Allen-Martin as Robin and Alex Cardall as Dougal. It ran in Ipswich from 5 to 16 November and Northampton from 19 to 30 November 2019.[6]

### Off-West End (2023–24)

[edit]

A new production under the new title Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) opened at London's Kiln Theatre, directed by Tim Jackson and starring Dujonna Gift as Robin and Sam Tutty as Dougal with designs by Soutra Gilmour. The production began previews from 9 November with a press night on 16 November and was originally due to run until 23 December before being extended to 20 January 2024.[7]

### West End (2024)

[edit]

The Kiln production transferred to the West End for a strictly limited run with Gift and Tutty reprising their roles. The show began previews on 4 April at the Criterion Theatre, with a press night performed on 23 April. It was originally scheduled to run until 14 July 2024 but due to popular demand, the show has extended its run until 31 August 2024.[8]

## Cast and characters

[edit]

Character  | Ipswich  | Northampton  | Off-West End  | West End

|
|
|
|

2019 | 2023 | 2024
Robin  | Tori Allen-Martin | Dujonna Gift
Dougal  | Alex Cardall  | Sam Tutty

## Cast recording

[edit]

In February 2024 an eight-track EP was released on all major streaming platforms.

In July 2024, an album was released on all major streaming platforms, which comprised 15 songs.

## Reception

[edit]

In November 2023, David Jays, writing for The Guardian, gave the play four out of five stars, noting that it "matches its wide-eyed hero and sardonic heroine with just the right mix of sugar and sour".[5]

In The Observer, the writer Kate Kellaway gave the show five stars, calling it "fresh, funny, ironic, inventive and moving" and describing the production as "flawless."[9]

Also in November 2023, The Telegraph's Marianka Swain wrote, "Jim Barne and Kit Buchan's heartfelt musical two-hander has all the ingredients to be an irresistibly sweet treat for the festive season".[10]

Clive Davis of The Times wrote: "What a tantalising near miss. This journey is bumpier, played out on the designer Soutra Gilmour’s revolving pile of suitcases. Like the Hollywood references, the set is something of a distraction, and the four-piece band perched above the actors lack firepower. The songs are fine; the script doesn’t quite do them justice."[11]

In January 2024, the musical was featured on The National Lotteries Big Night of Musicals, broadcast on BBC One.[12]

In April 2024, Alex Wood writing for WhatsOnStage gave the musical five stars and declared that it was "as good a night out in the West End as you can get".[13]

Stefan Kyriazis, of the Daily Express, wrote "I fell in love with Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York) and you will too. It's a heartfelt and hilarious joy".[14]

Although Time Out magazine provided a detailed synopsis of the show, giving it four stars out of five, it did state that "the first half is about 15 minutes too long, and [it thought] Dougal could be a grating character in the hands of a less winning actor than Tutty."[15]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Season review — a quirky, quick‑witted and touching musical miracle". The Times. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
2. ^ "Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) Musical Will Transfer to the West End". Playbill. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
3. ^ "The Stage Debut Awards 2020: winners in full". The Stage. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
4. ^ "Stiles and Drewe Mentorship Award winners announce new musical The Season". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
5. ^ a b Jays, David (2023-11-17). "Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) review – charming romcom is a treat". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
6. ^ "The Season musical at Royal and Derngate and New Wolsey Ipswich casting announced". 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
7. ^ Mayo, Douglas (2023-08-23). "Sam Tutty and Dujonna Gift to star in new musical at Kiln Theatre". British Theatre. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
8. ^ Rook, Olivia (2024-01-12). "'Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)' to transfer to the West End". London Theatre. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
9. ^ Kellaway, Kate (2023-11-26). "The week in theatre: The Witches; Ghosts; Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) – review". The Observer. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
10. ^ Swain, Marianka (2023-11-17). "Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York): shades of Richard Curtis in this charming romcom". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
11. ^ Davis, Clive (November 17, 2023). "Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) review — good, gentle fun". The Times. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
12. ^ Khalid, Eileen (2024-01-27). "Big Night of Musicals back for 2024, Beverley Knight to star, full line-up announced & BBC broadcast details [Updated] | West End Theatre". www.westendtheatre.com. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
13. ^ Wood, Alex (24 April 2024). "Sweet, sugary and a sure-fire West End success".
14. ^ Kyriazis, Stefan (2024-04-27). "Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York) review – A scrumptious treat". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
15. ^ "Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)". November 16, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2024.