NEXT THING YOU KNOW music by Joshua Salzman and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham. Randolph Theatre. July 2 at 4 pm, July 3 at 10:30 pm, July 5 at 1 pm, July 7 at 5:15 pm, July 8 at noon, July 9 at 4 pm. Buy tickets. Rating: NN
An intimate musical about four 20-somethings staring down their personal and professional futures, Next Thing You Know had a short off-off-Broadway run in 2011 and is now touring the Canadian Fringe circuit in a new production from a group of eager young Winnipeggers. But while the performers’ connection to the material is evident, they have limited success making it come alive singing to prerecorded backing tracks in the cavernous Randolph Theatre.
In a moving performance of the song Manhattan Bridge, however, Johanna Reinberg (who also directs) gives a strong hint of how this tricky show could be genuinely affecting.
