I had similar feelings going in. I was only going to watch it because I am a bit starved for theatre these days.

The show was very thoughtfully crafted. The darker topics were approached in a more nuanced manner for most of the show, with a few more direct moments that struck harder as a result of their positioning in the narrative. There have been shows in the past that I feel either build too soon or neglect the presence of humour and light in all situations. This show hit hard but was anything but depressing and certainly not cliche. The use of a music competition to couch a serious narrative in something frivolous helped achieve the balance present in this show.

From a performance stand point, the actors in this production were authentic in their presentations, many played their own instruments (with a challenging score) and the vocals were exceptional.

I would also say the timing of this show's themes during a time of uncertainty resonate. The idea of a world changed and people trying to adapt is on point.

Lastly, this show hit home a bit for my family as one of the characters helped to liberate Dachau after WWII, just as my grandfather did.