Souvenir Programme U.Me The Musical

Narrated by Stephen Fry

WORLD PREMIERE 12th May 2021 //

Watch from 19:45 BST @ www.bbcworldservice.com/musical Listen from 20:06 // BBC World Service, DAB and BBC Sounds THE BOOK Simon Pitts and Theo Jamieson MUSIC & LYRICS Theo Jamieson

MUSIC PRODUCTION Steve Levine

CASTING Will Burton CDG

MUSICAL DIRECTOR Jennifer Whyte

ORCHESTRATION Callum Au & Theo Jamieson

PROJECT MANAGER BBC PHILHARMONIC A Magnum Opus Broadcasting Production Beth Wells for the BBC World Service © DRAMATURGY Ali C Smith

THE CAST U.Me

Introduction

More than 300 years BC, Aristotle was probably one of the first people to point out the wonderfully cathartic quality CONTENTS of every form of art; that ability it has to put our emotions through the wringer and leave us feeling comforted, Page uplifted and inspired. What would any of us have done during lockdown if it weren’t for the music, images and stories that Introduction By Stephen Fry 7 came into our homes to connect us to each other and give us hope? The Cast 8

Synopsis 9 Many of our storytellers were cut off from income streams during the pandemic, but leaving themselves vulnerable in Cast Bios 10 every way is something they’re used to. Many have continued Creative Team 14 to create, unpaid and in isolation, documenting these extraordinary times so that we, and those who come after, Contributor Credits 16 would be able to understand this moment in a way that is Special Thanks 22 truthful, universal and profound. Behind the Scenes 24 Our century-long love affair with audio storytelling has The Complete Lyrics 27 continued into the digital age, with broadcasting, podcasting, streaming and audiobooks reaching millions of ears every day, whoever we are and wherever we go. We each create our own movie of what we’re hearing in our minds, honing our imagination, and in turn allowing us to better innovate, adapt and empathise - attributes that are surely even more important right now than ever before.

Stephen Fry

6 7 SYNOPSIS

Act One The Cast Rose is working from home during the pandemic lockdown when she meets Ryo online. They find a shared passion and enjoy ROSE an unusual video date. Anoushka Lucas No Interval RYO Martin Sarreal Act Two As maid of honour, Rose makes the final KENJI preparations for her best friend Kevin Chen Alyssa’s epic internet wedding. Meanwhile, Ryo rushes to hospital in Kyoto. ALYSSA Nicole Deon No Interval

HIROMI Act Three Michelle Yumiko Payne Ryo examines his own life, and the time he’s spent living other people’s priorities. Rose offers a most precious gift.

9 THE CAST

ANOUSHKA. // MARTIN. LUCAS // SARREAL @s Rose @s Ryo

Anoushka Lucas was raised in a big Born in Malaysia to Portugese-Filipino and French-Cameroonian-Anglo-Indian family, Chinese parents, Martin Sarreal is an actor and studied Russian and Italian at Oxford. and fi lmmaker. He grew up in Hong Kong She starred as Mary Magdalene in Jesus before heading to drama school in London. Christ Superstar at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, as well as appearing in Faces in He has trodden the boards at the Crowd, Chiaroscuro and Sparks. Shakespeare’s Globe and the National Theatre, as well as playing roles in Sin Infl uenced by Carole King, Zadie Smith, Amy and Romeo and Juliet. He has appeared Winehouse and Billie Holiday, Anoushka has in music videos and fi lms such as Toof been writing songs since the age of 14, and and The Dew. her music has been championed by BBC Radio 2 and Jazz FM, with her debut album Martin learnt valuable lessons during the Dark Soul released in 2019. She has pandemic: fi rstly, that the novelty of cycling composed original scores for major touring everywhere wears off quickly; secondly, theatre productions, winning an award for that running in the great outdoors is Best Musical at the Edinburgh fringe. more fun than he thought; and thirdly, that it’s important to be kind to each Her lockdown highlights include a Christmas other. He learnt this when he got locked of rom-coms in pyjamas with family, long down with a brand new housemate strolls in the rain, nocturnal phone calls aft er just one week; luckily, due to a with Stateside friends and watching shared quirky sense of humour, they Buff y with her sister. still get on very well. 10 11 © Michael Shelford © Michael Shelford THE CAST

MICHELLE. YUMIKO PAYNE // @s Hiromi

Michelle Yumiko Payne is a Japanese- Australian entertainer who lives in Tokyo. She has presented on Japanese television and on HBO. As a singer she has performed on stages and screens all over the world, and she has recorded with artists including Robbie NICOLE. Williams. Experiencing the pandemic with her housemates has made them like family. DEON // @s Alyssa Originally from Manchester, Nicole Deon trained at the Hammond School, and her work KEVIN. includes roles in Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Miracle on 34th Street at the Liverpool SHEN // Everyman and West Side Story with the Estonian National Opera. During lockdown @s Kenji she ended up living with her parents, but was delighted to fi nd that they got along like best London-based Kevin Shen’s previous theatre friends. She loves hot baths with bath bombs, credits include Paper Dolls, Snow in is learning Spanish on an app, and loves the Midsummer with the RSC and Yellow Face rollercoaster of life as an actress. Her motto? at the National Theatre. He has also worked You have to do what sets your soul on fi re, in television, in shows like Criminal Minds so be persistent and believe in yourself. and Eastenders, and fi lms like A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby. During lockdown he has rediscovered a love for playing the guitar and the piano, done some balcony gardening, recreated his favourite restaurant meals and gone a little carb crazy. He also hopes that the virtual movie-watching sessions that he

has been enjoying with friends all over the © Luce Newman-Williams globe continue post-pandemic. 13 © Sam Mackay the CAST CREATIVE TEAM THEO. STEVE. JAMIESON LEVINE composer music producer Theo Jamieson is an award-winning Award-winning producer Steve Levine composer, lyricist, musical director and pianist. produced Culture Club’s classic hits and all He has worked on Everybody’s Talking About three of their multi-platinum albums. Other Jamie, The Wild Party, Funny Girl, High Society, artist collaborations include Lemmy & Here Lies Love and Treasure Island, and was the Motorhead, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Mis-Teeq, piano soloist in the Opera North orchestra for 911, the Clash and the Beach Boys. The Light in the Piazza. He has developed He produces and presents the acclaimed musicals at the National Theatre and Theatre show The Record Producers for BBC Radio 2 Royal Stratford East, and his classical and BBC 6 Music. Recent sessions include the compositions have been performed by the debut album for Hushtones and music for the St Paul’s Sinfonia and the English National video game HyperBrawl with Apple Arcade. Ballet Orchestra. He was recently made an He is a director of PRS for music, and a LIPA Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, Companion. During lockdown, he enjoyed the and spent lockdown learning to complete Tiger King zeitgeist and a well-timed video a Rubik’s cube in under three minutes. call with his friend Boy George. © Paul Nicholas Dyke © Paul © Rosie Levine © Rosie STEPHEN. SIMON. FRY PITTS narrator creator ‘U.Me’ Stephen Fry is an English actor, writer, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director. Simon Pitts lives in London, and looks after He formed a double act with Hugh Laurie after arts, music and drama radio and digital meeting him in the Cambridge Footlights, and programming at the BBC World Service. together they wrote and co-starred in A Bit of He has worked as an editor, producer and Fry & Laurie, as well as playing the eponymous director on arts, news and factual roles in Jeeves and Wooster. Fry’s acting roles programming, and has won awards as include an award-winning performance as Oscar an independent film-maker. He fits in Wilde, as well as roles in Blackadder, Kingdom, (occasional) piano practice around a busy V for Vendetta, The Hobbit and Veep. Fry has life with a young family. He says that written and presented several documentary lockdown at home feels like winning the series, contributed columns and articles for lottery as it affords precious time to be newspapers and magazines, appeared around his baby daughter. frequently on radio, and has written seven

books. He has been an advocate of the rights Newman Williams © Claire of the LGBT community for 30 years, and is the president of Mind, Britain’s largest mental health charity. 15 CONTRIBUTORS

Will . Burton Ally . C . Smith Jennifer . Whyte Callum . Au CASTING DRAMATURG MUSICIAL ORCHESTRATOR Will Burton has worked Ally C Smith is an DIRECTOR Born to a Scottish mother on West End Theatre award-winning script Jennifer Whyte has and a Chinese father, productions, including writer and songwriter, played the piano in Callum spent most of his Matilda, Heathers, and has seen her work concert halls all over formative years in Blackpool Everybody’s Talking About performed on stages the world, as well as on before moving to London. Jamie and Ghost. He has from London to New the sets of blockbuster He has written music for also worked on TV shows York. She has worked in movie Les Miserables, international artists The Voice, So You Think You Can Dance, and film, and for RADA, where she is currently and hit show X Factor. She has directed the including Quincy Jones, Jamie Cullum and Disney films Mary Poppins Returns and Playwriting Tutor. During lockdown, she music in iconic musical theatre productions the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He also Beauty & the Beast, as well as upcoming designed her own knitting patterns, and like Avenue Q and The Wiz, and orchestrated arranged the big band numbers in the Netflix original musical Matilda. learned never to take a hug for granted. on Netflix sensation The Crown. Hollywood movie adaptation of Cats.

Jack . Hymers Beth . Wells Joseph . Reiser Rocio . Cano ORCHESTRAL PROJECT MANAGER, DIGITAL VIDEO PRODUCER ARRANGEMENT Rocio Cano is a producer BBC PHILHARMONIC AUDIO EDITOR Beth Wells worked for the and director who has PROGRAMMER Joseph Reiser is an audio Jack Hymers graduated Royal Liverpool Philharmonic worked on a range of engineer and producer from the Liverpool Orchestra before running popular programmes for based in Manchester, Institute for Performing operations in South Africa for the BBC and Sky Arts. working both live and in Arts and now plays a charity, which included In the past 19 years she the studio. His engineering/ keyboards with the band, working on The Children’s has interviewed over production credits include China Crisis, and works as a sessions musician Monologues with Danny Boyle. During the 250 A-list celebrities, and her proudest releases on Blue Note Records, Gondwana on stage, in studios and at festivals. He bought pandemic, she has been supporting musicians professional achievement was running an Records, and Tru Thoughts amongst others. himself an amazing coffee machine to help him recording under duvets and in cupboards to ambitious scheme commissioning 50 art He loves cycling so much that breaking his bike survive the pandemic and also, rather continue making music. She also got married in projects. She has spent lockdown infecting during lockdown broke him a little too. whimsically, signed up for a marathon. a mask, with her parents as witnesses. her children with her love of music.

16 17 CONTRIBUTORS

Orchestra Musicians DRUMS & PERCUSSION DIRECTOR, Musicians Joe Evans BBC PHILHARMONIC COR ANGLAIS VIOLA Gillian Callow Dave Ormsby Simon Webb Steven Burnard Principal ORCHESTRAL Kimi Makino Assistant Principal ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC BASS Bernadette Anguige Sub-Principal CLARINET PERSONNEL MANAGER John Bradbury Principal Richard Coughlan Helena Nolan Matthew Compton Fiona Dunkley Fraser Langton Colin Pownall ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC GUITARS SOUND ENGINEERS Alexandra Fletcher Danny Short BBC PHILHARMONIC Nicholas Howson Rachel Janes BASS CLARINET Joe Smithson Lee Aston Ruth Montgomery Colin Pownall Jesse Eigen Jamie Birkett Roisin Ni Dhuill Samuel Jones Cheryl Law BASSOON ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC PIANO DIGITAL AUDIO EDITOR Roberto Giaccaglia Principal Joseph Reiser CELLO Bill Anderson Theo Jamieson Peter Dixon Principal VIOLIN 1 ENSEMBLE VOCALS Steven Callow Sub-Principal CONTRA BASSOON Yuri Torchinsky Leader Jessica Schäfer Bill Anderson Sejal Keshwala Zoë Beyers Leader Rebecca Aldersea Evie Rose Lane Midori Sugiyama Assistant Leader Melissa Edwards HORN Alison Fletcher Principal Elinor Gow Ben Hulme Principal Jamie Muscato Kevin Flynn Sub-Principal Marina Vidal Valle Phillip Stoker Austeja Juskaityte Tyrone Huntley Elise Wild Rebecca Hill Anna Banaszkiewicz-Maher Jonathan Barrett Sophia Foroughi Martin Clark DOUBLE BASS Sam Yates Clare Dixon Alice Durrant Sub-Principal Jonathan Harris REHEARSAL PIANIST Julian Gregory Ronan Dunne Catherine Mandelbaum Jennifer Whyte James Goode TRUMPET Anya Muston Miriam Shaft oe Toby Tramaseur Tom Walsh Guest Principal Peter Willmott Gary Farr Recording KEYBOARD AND Karen Mainwaring Daniel Whibley SYNTHESISER PROGRAMMING Robert Wild Andrew Vickers TROMBONE Steve Levine VIOLIN 2 Richard Brown Principal FLUTE ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING Lisa Obert Principal Gary MacPhee Glen Perry Assistant Principal Alex Jakeman Principal Tony Boorer Jack Hymers Rachel Porteous Victoria Daniel Gemma Bass Jennifer Hutchinson BASS TROMBONE DIGITAL AUDIO EDITORS Helen Wilson Lily Whitehurst Simon Minshall Django Holder Lucy Flynn Russell Taylor Stephen Langstaff Simon Gilks PICCOLO Sophie Hudgell Jennifer Hutchinson Nigel Jay TIMPANI MASTERING ENGINEER Paul Turner Principal Christina Knox OBOE Andy Wilson Rebecca Mathews Jennifer Galloway Principal HARP Alyson Zuntz Kenny Sturgeon Claire Sledd Cliff ord Lantaff Principal 18 18 19 U.ME

BBC Live Events Team LIVE EVENT PRODUCER Edwina Pitman LIVE STREAMING PRODUCER Tessa Delaunay-Martin LIVE COVERAGE Amelia Butterly

DIGITAL PRODUCER Stephanie Constantine CONTROLLER SOCIAL AND DIGITAL PRODUCER BBC WORLD SERVICE ENGLISH Oliver Jarvis Mary Hockaday DESIGNER COMMISSIONING EDITOR Alex Kessling Simon Pitts DIRECTOR COMMISSIONING TEAM Simon Morris Karen Howe BBC RED BUTTON NETWORK MANAGEMENT Richard Hassall Murray Holgate IPLAYER Paul Blythe Louise Burrluck DIGITAL EDITOR PRESS - LD COMMUNICATIONS Anna Doble Doug Wright WEB AND SOCIAL TEAM Lais Martins Waring Katherine Campbell Josephin Meyer Martin McCall DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION Animation Feature PODCAST TEAM Naomi Otsu Jon Manel ANIMATION BY Alistair Riddell The Mighty Pie Creative Studio Ltd PRESS LEAD ANIMATOR Esther Mulholland Dan Masterton

ANIMATOR Harry Fisher ANIMATION PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Nicky Myers 20 21 U.ME With special thanks

LIVERPOOL INSTITUTE OF Jon Thornton Head of Sound Technology PERFORMING ARTS Martin Isherwood Head of Music Anya Weston-Shaw LIPA Production Manager Georgia Whitehead Management Assistant Oliver Priestley Sound Technician Performers: Elizabeth Woodford Ellie McDonald Brittany Feeney Saskia Rudge-Thompson Cory Sapienza MAGNUM OPUS Lewis Borg-Cardona Magnum Opus Broadcasting Radio BROADCASTING & Podcast Producer Nigel Dewar Gibb Lewis Silkin LLP Ewan Billinge BBC Business Affairs Felix Canetty-Clarke Sony Music Publishing & Jack Robson

Rheana Forrester & Steve Cusack 3Tone Music Ezra Meijer-Barnett Universal Audio Bryan Borcherds Arturia Jamie Franklin Roland Jeff Bloom Synchro Arts Ltd Photo: Joe Morgan Photo: Justin Myracks Native Instruments Above, clockwise from bottom left: Brittany Feeney, Saskia Rudge-Thompson, Ian Bradshaw & team Korg Elizabeth Woodford, Oliver Priestley, Cory Sapienza, Anya Weston-Shaw, Ellie McDonald Jazz Lee & Jonny Solway and team Dean Street Studios Simon Pitts thanks Karen and Lily for their ideas and Mum for the extra pair of ears. Sasha Regan Union Hire Rehearsal Studios Steve Levine thanks Karen Levine, Jo Crocker and Louise Fennimore. Billy Mahoney Mahoney Audio Post Theo Jamieson would like to thank Alastair Lyndsey-Renton and Helen Clarkson at Curtis Brown, Kris McDonald Keyhole Studios Ltd’ Alex and Evie for encouragement and company through all this, to my family always: my mum, my dad, my sister, Gillian, and Martin. Fergus Dudley Dedicated to my grandmother Danny. I love you and I miss you. Mathew Horne Paul Christopher “Baby Bamboo” Beckett & Naoko Abe Beckett U.Me The Musical Programme Toku Creative Systems - Music Technology Specialists Designed by Rosie Levine Edited by Kate Ling-Davies (Studio & Live) VIDEO CONTENT Rocio Cano Video producer Andy Dunn Freelance producer & director 22 23 ( BEHIND THE SCENES Photos: Tricia Yourkevich Yourkevich Tricia Photos:

Top row (L-R): Anoushka Lucas (Rose), Martin Sarreal (Ryo), Simon Pitts (left) and Theo Jamieson (right ), Bottom row (L-R): Martin, Steve Levine (in his recording studio), Nicole Deon (Alyssa) 24 @ Dean Street Studios 25 U.Me The Musical THE COMPLETE LYRICS

Above: Steve and Theo’s mixing notes @ Steve Levine’s studio

Music & Lyrics by Theo Jamieson

Original cast studio recording available on all streaming platforms and www.3tonemusic.co.uk

P All songs administered by Sony Music Publishing under an exclusive license 26 27 LYRICS

Everything Stops Performed by Anoushka Lucas Oh my god this loading symbol - what is wrong!? What do you do, when everything stops I’ve watched it absolutely freaking out for way too long. When the world’s best city Has been turned off - and it ain’t that pretty. And suddenly What’s the matter - no, look, it’s getting slower, I swear! the life that you want is on hold till a year or later If the screen goes blank then I’m gonna yank out my hair Feels like you stepped on an out-of-service escalator Yank in, three… two…. And all the time, this voice is in my head… saying

Moved to London thirteen months ago today. “Rose, if you’re struggling I always wanted to be part of it and I was finally here to stay. in London My sister finished school, Dad said I’ve got nothing to lose If it’s too hard and you need to go home Drops me at the train, brought along the girls from my where everyone loves you Tuesday night football five-a-side Everybody cried! Then nobody would judge you.” but I know Kissed me on my way and here I am If I give in And go home So here I am. When everything stopped! If I don’t keep moving forward when I’ve waited till I’m twenty five When the world stopped spinning! years old And what I thought was a new beginning to start my life the way I want Turned out to be a room and a screen and a ten-pack of If I don’t stand my ground sanitiser. However much home’s pulling me However much I’m tempted to go back What do you do - when everything stops?! I’m going to stay and live my life and be myself but I am lonely! When the system crashes I need to stick this out but I am lonely! They close the shops! The siren flashes! I’m making myself proud, I know it’s only for a while ‘Cause I’ve been here a year, spinning wheels, in this room smaller than a thimble Patience is a virtue that comes hard to me Desperate for more but my life is a loading symbol! And though I’ve definitely improved this year it’s hardly going Nine-to-five online’s exhausting, set me free. on my CV I’m not backing down, I’m staying till this town breathes again I’d trade it all right now for bolshy crowds and buskers That’s around the bend, I’ll own my independence till then bumping into me Cause that’s what I said I’d do Working in my room, I end up feeling gloomy and dazed I’m brave, I’ll see this through I need a hug a day, think that’s just the way I was raised. Stand my ground till life begins for real!

Now they’re few and far between I’ll wait it out! when everything - We’re just waving on a screen Can’t believe that life has come to this! Stops! When the life I wanted ‘sback in the box, but I won’t be daunted What do you do - when everything stops I’ve managed here a year so a few extra months will be childs-play You arrive in London And then you watch as it all comes undone What do you do when everything stops? And all you do is digital meetings repeating indefinitely When your life’s beginning And then it’s not? When your world stops spinning? You double-down on patience and praying for change any day Mark the time because I’m sure my life can’t be far away ‘cause that’s what you do when everything

Stops.

28 29 LYRICS

The Poster Ryo: I’m a mystery.

Performed by Anoushka Lucas On the wall behind you I can see a poster, well most of the Rose: Ha Shut up. But also. Tell me. and Martin Sarreal corner anyway Ryo: There’s not much to tell. If I’m not mistaken I think it’s a band I stan called Phantom My sibs and I grew up and went to school in San Francisco, Holiday first-gen immigrants

Is that right? Rose: Nice. Me too. Mum was from Cameroon. Where are your rents from? Honestly I think that you’re the only person on earth I’ve met who knows these guys Ryo: My folks are Japanese They’re like these world-famous high-flying doctors and I am maybe slightly obsessed with them so if I’m terrifyingly great parents over-excited I apologise in advance (Mostly)

Ryo: Which means that I Life in Lockdown Don’t have much excuse for, what can only be described, as this quarter life crisis: Washing food. Disinfecting my food. Performed by Anoushka Lucas , Martin Sarreal, Packing up my life and leaving San Fran for Japan one year ago and just ignoring what Ryo: I made a mask. My best-yet homemade mask. Nicole Deon & Original Studio Cast the sensible advice is Oh, and just to twist the knife I think I’m Rose: Scrubbed my hands for twenty seconds, they’ve never going to leave this job as well when I can get the nerve to been this clean before…. and become a video artist.

Though somewhere deep inside, ‘cause mom and dad are Friend left me a voicemail - don’t know why but who they are, I don’t quite feel like I deserve to, I ignored it… but here I am regardless. Read the news and tried not to curl up in a ball on the floor Standing on the edge…

Chorus: Life in lockdown Over-share? Was that story an over-share? Rose & Ryo: It’s not the one Rose: Ha, no it’s fine. Actually not miles from mine. Chorus: Life in lockdown Sorry. I feel weird. Lockdown’s sent me round the bend… Rose & Ryo: It’s not much fun Ryo: Lots of people I know are struggling more than they Chorus: Life in lockdown pretend Honestly I think it might help you if you called back your Rose & Ryo: It just goes on, and on and on, and on and on. friend…

Ryo: So, why’d you move to London? Chorus: Life in lockdown… Life in lockdown… Rose: ‘was my dream. Moving here was my dream. Life in lockdown (it’s not the one) It’s the best. I’ve always been obsessed. Life in lockdown (It’s not much fun) Life in lockdown (it just goes on, and on and on, and on It’s just got everything, you know: and on, and on and on)

Vietnamese in Shoreditch. Kick-arounds in Regent’s park. It’s just begun! Galleries and theatres. Dancing crazy after dark. It’s just begun! Living, laughing, loving. Making messes, making my mark. It’s just begun!

Unfortunately, London isn’t really London right now. So… yeah. Tell me about you! 30 31 LYRICS

Chair Dance Something’s different Ever since she Performed by Anoushka Lucas Rose: Pick up that chair, Pick up that chair. I feel different and Martin Sarreal Something’s different Ryo: Okay you too, Rose. Fair’s fair. Ever since she Something has changed Both: Pick up that chair. Let’s dance them round the room… I feel different!

Rose: It’s kind of weird! I feel different Ever since she Ryo: Yeah, I don’t care. I feel different! I feel different Rose: Admit it’s weird! Something cluttered Has been rearranged Ryo: Okay yeah! Ryo:Okay, “Hi Rose Rose: Forget the chair then - How you feeling So that was awesome last night Both: Pretend that it’s me. Ryo: Rose: (simultaneously) I think we should This is different Who would’ve have guessed You’re dancing with me. Try a second I feel different that in all this messy uncertainty This is real Instead of joking and relentlessly just flirting Rose: I think that you might be right I feel different he actually, I am different He was actually listening to me! Ryo: Hi Rose, that’s my favourite answer I Feel Different And I’m awake I feel different I feel different Okay that was. Rose: Well, you’re not a bad chair dancer Performed by Anoushka Lucas , Martin Sarreal She is. Special. I feel different And in a city that’s not a a bit how it should be & Original Studio Cast That wasn’t normal for me… Ryo: That’s ‘cause I learned from the best Ever since she Isn’t it great to meet someone and find that I feel different it could be That was real. Rose: Ryo’s turning out to be I feel different something real? That felt special. Pretty lovely actually Ever since we I wonder if she’d agree… Half a planet in between and he still flipped something What if it’s real? Something that’s real inside of me Something started. Started nicely. I feel different I feel different This is not my plan, precisely… Ryo: Oh my god I didn’t wait Didn’t even hesitate Okay, recap: why am I here - No idea if it’s wise or not but we’ve got a second date…

I’m here to change the way I’ve been Rose: Why did I start to spill my heart to, let’s face it, Change the way I’ve always been basically - just a stranger Here to wake up and shake off the borrowed life I’ve been I find it hard to drop my guard, but then last night, it just living in felt right.

I came here to get some space Ryo: Look at me diving in when I’ve barely weighed up the Both in terms of time and place pros and cons and the danger Maybe I’m just falling for her ‘cause that uncertainty is hard Is this too fast, and can it last? Hard to work out, but to face? there’s no doubt that

Everything in my life has been within fifty miles of my child I feel different hood address I feel different First my degree from USC then job in tech, a monthly cheque This is something I said enough, packed up my stuff, swapped the Golden Something different Gate for Japan and a mattress Something happened Room to create - okay, that’s great. Time to be me. Not a mistake All right, let’s see but This is different 32 33 LYRICS The Virtual Maid of Honour Performed by Anoushka Lucas , Martin Sarreal, Rose: The first thing I agreed to sort as maid of honour for Bridemaids: Waheyyy! & Original Studio Cast this Internet wedding is food And that means organise four hundred plus deliveries of Rose: The girls from five-a-side, however ill-advised, will be the the meal, with a nice attitude bridesmaids - so please help me god… She wants to get married online Make sure that they’re not too obscene And it’s her wedding not mine Forget it’s all just on a screen. But if it was me then I would wait and it be real Still everyone seems convinced And maybe I’m a cynic Rose & Bridesmaids: Online will be amazing! Maybe this could feel the same But if it’s not the absolute pinnacle of their lives I will not Rose: And maybe I’m just old school be to blame And the touchy-feely type I’ll be cheering loudest, in a week when they tie the knot But no matter how much I am told I love Alyssa so I’ll give this a thousand percent of what I got Rose & Bridesmaids: “you’ll get into it” Ryo: The first thing I notice when I arrive at the hospital Rose: I don’t believe the hype Is the nurse outside But it’s for Alyssa, who is basically my kin How her face is marked So I’ll be damned if I won’t be the best virtual maid of honour From her heavy mask there’s ever been Then I go inside Yiiikes, it’s already Monday… six days to go… And the second thing

Ryo: The first thing I notice after Hiromi’s on oxygen Is that all of the orderlies pushing the beds are wearing And they’ve made us leave hazmat suits Is that Kenji is Rubber boots Not himself at all Worried looks Rushing round Nothing centres him Scary fast Even video games… …I squeeze past

And he jumps up ten feet in the air every time he hears The third thing I notice when I arrive at the hospital the telephone Is the interview And although That they give to you There’s no news Has a different tone He can’t stand Being here Like, “Why are you here?” He wants to be near her “Do you need to be?”

She’s gonna be fine Kenji, trust what you’ve been told! And these questions don’t come from a doctor or nurse, they’re from security She’s gonna be fine, she is thirty years old Put in place Recently She’s getting the best care. Which makes sense That’s why she’s still there! I don’t know Kenji my parents are doctors and if they had someone her age Scary though… as a patient then they simply wouldn’t stop at anything Everything Rose: The hardest thing to wrangle as the maid of honour They do everything. for this internet wedding’s the squad

34 35 LYRICS Still Life

Performed by Anoushka Lucas , Martin Sarreal, Bridesmaids: Tuesday & Original Studio Cast And when her daddy walks her down it I can’t help but Rose: Compile the clips for the supercut video guest book Ryo it’s Rose crack a smile I’m still waiting for some to be done and you can’t believe Okay I’ll tell you how long the rest took I know this sounds mental There they go! And dad isn’t able to get through his take without crying, Ryo, I think we should meet which isn’t the best look… And just then when I’m going to embrace the I know that it hasn’t been long online wedding Bridesmaids: Wednesday But I don’t think my instincts are wrong That’s when the thing that we’re afraid of, the thing we’ve And when was it I decided life was on hiatus?? Rose: I look for the name of the catering company’s owner been dreading happens Something happens to her wifi, to her wifi, to her wifi There are several last-minute menu adjustments to make so And maybe it’s impulsive And it stutters, and it hits me like a stomach punch… I phone her And maybe it’s the fizz But that doesn’t make this true or false, if it’s true - and I think Alyssa starts her vow the video freezes and a box Catering Company Owner: (through the phone) Hello? that it is, says “error” I think that we’re real And every guest inside their square has frozen now and I Bridesmaids: Hi! So, half of the guests may have gone vegan And I’m hoping you might agree just stare in terror… since corona… So if I’m not making an absolute fool of myself hit me up when And just as this glitch is confirming to me that they should you’re free… Catering Company Owner: (through the phone) Right… have waited till life starts up again That’s when I see Bridesmaids: Thursday How everyone’s still smiling Rose: Mini-palm-tree delivery for the stay-at-home-honey- How they’re frozen in applause moon - I check the status… Then the timing makes me giggle Bridesmaids: Friday Yep: the wedding vows, of course!

Rose: Troubleshoot audio stuff for the Aerosmith imperson- ‘Cause Alyssa just looks happy ators… Like a painting, there on pause

Bridesmaids: Saturday She’s a still life A still life Rose: Signing off see ya laters Then one final thing I’ve planned And that’s when the screen unfreezes Send out two thousand new internet wedding party They say what they came to say invitations and breathe…. I see that people are still people That that didn’t go away Bridesmaids: Sunday. Alyssa’s wedding dayyyyyyy!!!!! And Alyssa’s still Alyssa This is still her wedding day Rose: And now I watch my screen fill up with squares containing every guest This is still life Their webcams on as if it’s real - done up in their It’s still life wedding best. There’s my dad! Still love Still enough Forget I’m in the same room where the last twelve months Still life have crawled along Ignore how each time more than one guest tries to speak Ryo it’s Rose the sound goes wrong I finished the wedding. But look - Alyssa’s moved her furniture to make her I’ve got an idea. wedding aisle! Call me or I’ll get cold feet.

36 37 LYRICS Since the Funeral Performed by Martin Sarreal & Original Studio Cast Like there’s this punk band in Tokyo Seven days since the funeral That I discover at the bottom of a chatroom and Kenji is starting to I can just see Feel it for real now That all they need to really take off is a good videographer And he’s decided he’ll and that could be me, I look for a flight move back in with his folks So he’s packing up the house But then I think what’s the point of that?! It’s more of the same Eleven days since the funeral Just more bottomless content. Just churning out swill All of the walls are bare for an overfed, biased-from-birth system that’s on its knees Everything’s packed away and that can’t protect the sick Kenji just drifts around and sits around and stares So I decide what I’ll do is just And Hiromi isn’t here Opt out of it totally Unplug myself straight away and go camp in the hills And I binge the news until my eyes are sore And remind myself about what’s real and who I was in my Till I’ve no idea what anything I’m doing is for heart at the start, that just might do the trick

And before I know it I am drafting an email to my manager But oh my god like how many times Saying “Sorry for the lack of notice but I’m leaving, Am I gonna run away?! effective immediately” When am I gonna actually get on with a life? And what’s weird to me Have a house, or a family, or job, or community. is I don’t edit the language, I write When will I be certain what to do?? “Sorry - but I’m thinking my life’s way too short to be wasting it here in this job that is miles from who I want to It’s been three weeks since Hiromi died be.” And I end it: “Sorry if you’re offended.” Totally pointlessly, and rather than healing it’s just And before I can believe what I’m doing I send it worse every day And now I’m thinking that fleeing back home to stay with Thirteen days since the funeral my parents might be all I can do till this feeling goes away… Kenji is going to Away Head home tomorrow. There’s ten unread messages from Rose and I don’t know how to answer them right now

Fifteen days since the funeral Kenji’s not here now But I have been allowed To hang around a week But when the renters come Then I’m not sure what I’ll do…

And I’m going to find my way there isn’t any doubt If I keep my focus I know I can work it out

So all day every day I’m relentlessly Trawling the internet Dozens of deep dives and multiple tabs Look, there are so many different things that someone like me could be thinking of doing That could feel right

38 39 LYRICS Choose Realisation

Performed by Anoushka Lucas Choose Performed by Anoushka Lucas , Martin Sarreal, Ryo: What am I doing?? What am I doing?? You’ve just got to choose & Original Studio Cast Like, am I stupid? Am I stupid??? ‘Cause the less you let go of the more that you’re going to lose Okay that was - It’s been years Pick Since anything felt this right Close your eyes and just pick You can weigh up the pros and the cons till you make Okay, scary yourself sick But the good kind And now I’m booking the flight You’ve got one life and have you faced it click. If you’re too careful - you might waste it Wait till you’re certain: Rose: Wow, what did I just agree to It’ll pass you by He wants to meet in person. Fine then, me too… Choose You’ve just got to choose Both: Guess that we’ll see how that goes… Take a breath and jump even if you could end up with a bruise Ryo: Now I’m on the aeroplane A quarter-full aeroplane Stay? Yeah Wheels up in two minutes, and I am in my life again You could go, you could stay It’s a game: flip a coin, draw a straw, just make sure that Rose: One more sleep till he arrives you play Let’s see if the chemistry survives One year of isolation now let’s tangle up our lives ‘Cause you’ve only got one life One life Rose: What will this be like? One brief, blundering, blink-and-it’s-gone life And you’re the decision maker Ryo: What will this be like? Make one, you’ll see, you won’t break apart Sometimes it’s not a case of “follow your heart” Sometimes it’s just that there’s no way to know until you start

Choose You just have to choose Because like it or not it’s a choice even if you refuse Choose. Choose.

40 41 LYRICS

What Will It Be Like? Ryo: I’m Ryo. Ryo: The real sound of your voice and of your footsteps as you walk Performed by Anoushka Lucas , Martin Sarreal, Ryo: What will it be like? Rose: And then we’re off, & Original Studio Cast Do we meet in the same timezone and have no idea why, Rose: Footsteps as you walk Why I’m flying fifteen hours through a giant empty sky Ryo: that’s how we start With night on the left and day on the right, watching clusters walking two metres apart Ryo: beside me of towns drift by Both: can he/she hear the kick drum of my heart? Both: This is what it’s like. Rose: What will it be like? Are we lucky and find we’ve still got a million things to say? Ryo: I’m scared Rose: This is the actual warmth coming off of you, Or will we get stiff, and boring, hit a wall and then give up and this is your weight and how you feel drift away? Rose: so am I Did we make the whole thing up to interrupt this year Ryo: Her eyes are dark almost black of grey? Ryo: We agree I’ll isolate for two weeks then we laugh and say goodbye Rose: His hands are surprisingly rough Ryo: Do we bend the rules so much that we feel guilty? Do we find that we’re too scared we’re gonna make Rose: Then two weeks comes round pretty soon Ryo: This is her playing with my hair each other sick? …But what if it’s good pretty quick? Ryo: We choose a Sunday afternoon Rose: This is him kissing my skin And what if this is just a near miss? And she appears outside my room, I mean - what are the odds Ryo: Here’s the tattoo above her hip. lightning’s gonna strike… Rose: Do you fancy a walk What will it be like…? Rose: The tiny scar next to his lip. Ryo: And we’re both totally relieved it still feels easy Rose: What will this be like? when we talk Ryo: These are her freckles

Rose: What if we’re nowhere near as real, Rose: We decide to form a bubble then we set off Rose: These are his arms and explore Ryo: or we don’t know how to feel Ryo: These are her palms Ryo: We repeat this once a week then every couple of Both: like we felt on all the apps? days or more Both: This is your touch

Rose: What if adrenalin pumps too hard, And I notice how she looks different in the morning. This is your touch This is Rose in the morning. Ryo: and I’m too guarded, This is her wearing giant headphones This is you This is her doodling on her hand! This is you Rose: and I end up talking at him in all caps? This is you What if I’m too afraid to be myself in case I make our house Rose: This is him spilling coffee on himself. This is you of cards collapse This is him when he’s shy. This is you This is him talking about his gran. Ryo: When I arrive This is a tear in his eye. You You might be Rose: When he arrives Ryo: This is how she feels familiar. My luck This is how she feels unique You Ryo: we’re wearing masks You might be Rose: This is how he’s really listening, My luck Rose: we’re wearing masks not just waiting for his turn to speak My luck My luck Ryo: maybe I ask are you Both: This is what it feels like My love

Rose: are you Ryo: with her What will it be like? What will it be like? Ryo: are you Rose: with him What will it be like? Choose. Rose: I’m Rose Both: with you actually physically next to me 42 43