Writers: Jaspar Albright and Danny Galvez
Director, Music and Lyrics: Jaspar Albright
These are early days in this new play with songs about a musical duo who conquer America with their Mexican-inspired Rock ‘n’ Roll. Tracing the time from when the two men meet in a Los Angeles bar to a sell-out tour that includes Mexico, Fools Were Meant To Sing is certainly ambitious. However, it’s also saggy over its 85 minutes, and the key moments in Louis and Robbie’s story are awkwardly staged.
Presumably set sometime in the late 20th century, where his favourite acts are Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac and Earth, Wind & Fire, Louis has come to L.A. from Illinois. He starts jamming with Mexican Robbie, who lives with his sister Luna and cousin Felipe. In their house is a Day of the Dead table on which are many framed photographs of family and friends who have died.
The scenes detailing the burgeoning of Louis and Robbie’s musical partnership are the best parts of the play even though the rags-to-riches trajectory is a familiar one. With Robbie’s Mexican heritage – his father is a famous Mariachi – and with Louis’s penchant for the blues and skiffle, the duo’s songs blend both genres, but we don’t hear enough of them to be convinced that they take America by storm.
Gang warfare and a love story between Louis and Luna are the other narrative strands in this tale. Too often, the music written by Jaspar Albright, who also plays Louis, is sidelined. The dialogue between all the characters needs tightening up, and some of it seems improvised rather than scripted, leading to some drawn-out scenes. The most dramatic moments in the play are clumsily performed. It’s not always clear what exactly is going on.
The pace is also hampered by the scene changes – a table lifted here, a sofa dragged there – when the large space of the Bridewell stage could easily hold all the locations at once without the need to shift the props and the microphones on and off.
There are a few distractions too. Why is Fermin Rodriguez’s Felipe the only character entitled to some costume changes? And keyboard player Dhruv Somani’s rendition of Alicia Keys’ If I Ain’t Got You is so good that it’s difficult to follow the conversation between Louis and Robbie (co-writer Danny Galvez) as they wait their turn at the open mic night. Let’s not worry that Keys released her song in 2003.
Of course, many of these issues can be tidied up in future iterations of the show. And for a play about a band, there should be more music. Fools Were Meant To Sing isn’t there yet, but it has potential.
Runs until 29 August 2026
Camden Fringe 2026 runs until 30 August
