Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
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Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown: A West End Whirlwind
"Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" is a musical comedy that brought Pedro Almodóvar’s madcap 1988 film to London’s West End with a burst of color and chaos. Featuring music and lyrics by David Yazbek and a book by Jeffrey Lane, it premiered at the Playhouse Theatre on January 12, 2015, following previews from December 20, 2014, and ran for 141 performances until May 23, 2015. Set in 1980s Madrid, the show follows Pepa, a voice actress unraveling after her lover Ivan dumps her, entwining her fate with a cast of eccentric women and men over 48 frantic hours. After a Broadway flop in 2010, its retooled West End run earned critical praise and two Olivier nominations, cementing its status as a bold, if brief, theatrical experiment.
Origins and Reinvention
The musical adapts Almodóvar’s Oscar-nominated film, a black comedy rooted in Jean Cocteau’s *The Human Voice*, about women teetering on emotional collapse. Yazbek and Lane, fresh off *Dirty Rotten Scoundrels*, debuted it on Broadway in 2010 at the Belasco Theatre, where it closed after 69 performances amid scathing reviews. Undeterred, director Bartlett Sher reworked it for London, scaling down the band, rewriting songs like “Time Stood Still” into “The View From Here,” and simplifying sets and costumes. Almodóvar observed workshops, ensuring his vision a tribute to female resilience stayed intact. The result: a leaner, zanier take that premiered to a warmer, if mixed, reception.
The Cast and Creative Spark
Tamsin Greig led as Pepa, marking her musical debut with Olivier-nominated grit and humor, joined by Haydn Gwynne as Lucia, Ivan’s unhinged ex-wife, also Olivier-nominated. Jérôme Pradon played Ivan, Anna Skellern brought ditzy charm to Candela, and Willemijn Verkaik shone as lawyer Paulina, with Ricardo Afonso, Haydn Oakley, and Seline Hizli rounding out the ensemble. Sher’s direction, with Anthony Van Laast’s choreography and Anthony Ward’s vivid designs, mirrored Almodóvar’s garish aesthetic. Yazbek’s score featuring “Model Behavior” and “Invisible” mixed Hispanic rhythms with rock, though some felt it slowed the farce’s pace.
West End Reception and Run
Critics split on opening night. *The Guardian* lauded Greig’s “sparky” performance and the “knockabout, rueful farce,” while *The Independent* called it “gloriously camp” yet heartfelt. Others, like *The New York Times* revisiting its Broadway roots, found it elegant but lacking Almodóvar’s cinematic punch. Audiences embraced the chaos, with standout numbers like Gwynne’s “Invisible” earning raves. Initially booked for 20 weeks until May 9, it extended to August 22, 2015, but closed early on May 23 due to sluggish sales. Its 141-show run, while no blockbuster, outlasted Broadway’s stint, buoyed by a cast recording released in 2015.
Global Echoes and Revivals
Post-West End, the musical found quieter life in regional runs, like a 2024 Theatre Royal Winchester staging and a planned 2025 Hayes Theatre production in Australia. The Broadway cast album, with Patti LuPone and Sherie Rene Scott, and the West End recording remain fan favorites, with “No Matter What” and “Island” showcasing Yazbek’s flair. Nominated for three Tonys in 2011 and two Oliviers in 2015, it never clinched a win but gained cult status. Its film adaptation tie-in echoing Almodóvar’s 1988 classic keeps it a quirky footnote for theatre buffs.
Legacy and Lasting Notes
"Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" straddles triumph and turmoil, a testament to theatrical risk-taking. Its West End run softened Broadway’s sting, proving the material could sing with tweaks, yet it never hit the heights of *The Producers* or *Wicked*. Greig and Gwynne’s star turns, paired with Yazbek’s eclectic score, highlight its charm a chaotic ode to women enduring love’s absurdities. As a bridge between Almodóvar’s celluloid satire and stage exuberance, it lingers as a flawed but fierce celebration of survival, still humming in Madrid’s imagined streets.