The York New Musical Festival kicked off on Tuesday with the premiere performance of Lady Luck.

Contrary to its title, Antony Irwin’s musical didn’t have as much luck as hoped with one lead actress, Caroline Rodgers, being taken ill on the morning of the performance. The remaining cast, however, did well to rework the script and showcase the concept for the new show.

Foregoing set design, the cast were seated on the stage alongside Irwin, who provided the musical accompaniment. This set the tone for the production which aimed to demonstrate the ideas and progress rather than presenting a slick performance.

Once the nerves of the opening number subsided, impressive vocal ability was evident across the cast. Marcus Ayton, playing the lead male, Xander, stood out with his smooth yet powerful voice.

The musical numbers formed the focus as the plot was mostly summarised by Irwin. Even from the short segments of acting and narration, it was clear that both plot and script require some work. The story follows Xander as he begins an affair with Madison (Eleanor Sandars) while his girlfriend Zoe (Erin Cornell) tries to reignite their romance.

The plot leant towards predictability and the script lacked imagination. Instead, the strength of the performance lay in the catchy lyrics, which were a successful blend of emotion and comedy.

Lady Luck may have fallen short of creating a gripping storyline, but its musical strengths spoke of a cast full of potential.

Review by Carys Brain