NEW YORK—Not only is “Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)” an awkward title for a Broadway musical, technically, it’s also incorrect. The cake is only carried between Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Starting with a fish-out-of-water scenario, this two-character vehicle spoofs and pays homage to the rom-com genre. It also points out that people may be sustained by dreams, but in the end it’s what’s right in front of them that matters.
Its book, music, and lyrics are by Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, and the work is ably directed and choreographed by Tim Jackson.
Some moments come off as deliberately cringy, but with a bubbly score, fantastic chemistry between the two leads, and a story that ultimately pulls no punches, the result is a hands-down winner.
A Meet Not-So-Cute
Dougal (Sam Tutty), 25 years old, has arrived from England to attend the nuptials of his wealthy father, whom he has never met. His dad is set to marry Melissa, 27 years his junior and the older sister of Robin (Christiani Pitts).
Robin, who’s spent a good part of her life willingly in her sibling’s shadow, is overwhelmed by wedding errands and dealing with a messy break-up. She’s been instructed to meet Dougal at Kennedy Airport and take him to a less-than-stellar hotel in Chinatown.
Their first meeting is a literal collision. An already stressed Robin is quickly put off by this boisterous stranger, who is wildly excited to have arrived at the city of his dreams. Dougal has never been to New York before, but has seen “Home Alone 2” quite a few times and can’t wait to experience everything the Big Apple has to offer. He’s positively giddy during the train ride to Manhattan, tries to interact with his fellow passengers, and loudly announces how much he loves New York City.
Wishing she could be anywhere else, Robin vacillates between ignoring Dougal and trying to quiet him down. Yet despite Robin’s efforts to stay focused on the tasks at hand, Dougal’s infectious glee soon rubs off on her.
The next day, after Dougal unexpectedly drops by the Manhattan coffee shop where she works, Robin takes him on an impromptu journey through her old Brooklyn stomping grounds as she goes to pick up a four-tier wedding cake. Robin’s left her beloved neighborhood to follow Melissa to Manhattan but sorely misses the emotional and familial ties that remain there.
Then comes a major mishap. Robin, in a fit of desperate inspiration and with access to a credit card belonging to Dougal’s dad, throws caution to the wind. She embarks with Dougal on a spree across Manhattan. The two buy fancy wedding clothes and go drinking and dancing, and end up spending the night in a fancy hotel. The next morning brings a devastating moral hangover and a rush of reality.
Truth be told, neither of them is exactly welcome at the wedding, though for very different reasons.
Songs Fit the Story
The creators offer a rather straightforward tale, but it’s told in such an inviting manner that the audience is carried along for the ride. A key element is how each song tells its own story, furthering the plot rather than simply filling out the score. Highlights include “New York,” telling Dougal’s joyful ode to the city; “The Hangover Duet,” where Dougal and Robin have decidedly different feelings about the night before; the wistful “What’ll It Be,” Robin’s endless mantra at her job; and “Dad,” where Dougal wonders about finally meeting his father.
Another important element is Soutra Gilmour’s set. It’s basically piles of luggage that effectively double as beds, refrigerators, a playground, and an airport baggage carousel, among other things.
Tutty is wonderfully likeable as Dougal, with his rose-colored attitude on life. He’s so certain his father will be delighted to see him that he makes up excuses as to why his father was never around when he was little: “He was only 31. Just a scared kid who wasn’t ready.” He makes up excuses as to why he’s too busy to talk to him now, too.
This romanticized view of the world causes him to equate certain situations with how things would go if they were happening in a movie. He also has absolutely no concept of distance when it comes to New York City locations, and this serves as an ironic reminder that locals often never visit tourist attractions in their own city.
Pitts perfectly shows Robin to be the quintessential jaded New Yorker. She’s been stuck in a dead-end existence for so long, she’s almost forgotten who she is. Robin’s time with Dougal reawakens her own passions while offering the chance to break out of the rut she’s trapped in. She also earns a gentle chiding when she tries to make a comment regarding Dougal’s home turf, proving how we are all unenlightened tourists at some point.
Full of heart, fun, and where being true to yourself is the greatest gift of all, “Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)” is an absolute delight.
‘Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)’
Longacre Theatre
220 W. 48th St.
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or TwoStrangersMusical.com
Running Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes (one intermission)
Open run
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