Rosie’s Brain – Hope Theatre, London

Writer: Evelyn Rose

Directors: Lucrezia Galeone and Josh Vaatstra

Rosie’s Brain, Evelyn Rose’s one-woman musical about a young adult navigating love and anxiety comes to the Hope Theatre for four performances, focusing on the role that therapy plays in providing diagnoses that shape the real life of the central character, Rosie. Told by one therapist that she has General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and another that it is relationship obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), following their prescribed behavioural patterns only leads to spikes of anxiety and instability when Rosie eventually finds the man she’s been waiting for.

There is a polished charm to Rose’s 60-minute musical that is adept at creating comedy scenarios with exaggerated characters that draw the audience into Rosie’s point of view. Written as a single monologue within which Rosie mimics other people in the story and creates both sides of conversations, the range of voices and opinions that Rosie must endure are well managed across the piece. From her blunt, pragmatic mother who takes it in her stride to the three therapists each displaying varying shades of detached superiority and friendliness, the world of anxiety disorders and their treatment feels like a prime target for Rose’s semi-affectionate satire.

As a singer-songwriter, Rose is also the composer, creating a variety of musical theatre numbers that range from Rosie’s first day at college avoiding a stranger she finds attractive to the “monster in her brain” that physically sabotages attempts to get closer to anyone – Rose even performs a duet between Rosie and her boyfriend, impressively playing both roles. Later in the show, when the concept runs out of steam a little and it becomes less clear how Rosie’s Brain should end, the music becomes a little sentimental about finding love and self-worth where perhaps she could explore the positives in understanding herself as an adult without a relationship.

While there is a lot of really great material, the show could be a little clearer in what its ultimate messages are, whether this is a destiny-focused romcom about a young woman overcoming her anxiety to find love or a pastiche of pseudo-therapy techniques that the protagonist must navigate to find a balance for herself. Trying to do both means parts of the show are currently underwritten, skipping over failed dating attempts that could be mined for additional material and leaping between the different therapy approaches which equally could work much harder in guiding the protagonist to wherever she is going.

So, the question for Rose is what next, what is the future for Rosie’s Brain? A full-length romcom with worked-through characterisation and a two-act trajectory, or perhaps a slimmer comedy musical about the effect of therapists and their contrasting diagnoses, maybe even a more expansive biography that moves beyond just finding love and places Rosie in the rest of her life and more in search of herself. Whatever path Rose chooses, there is a strong foundation already here.

Runs until 8 February 2025