I was kindly invited by Chloe Nelkin Consulting to attend the workshop performance of a New queer musical Polly: A 21st Century Love Story at The Other Palace Studio and what a brilliant atmosphere to walk into. The studio was absolutely packed, which already felt like a promising sign. There’s something exciting about being in a room full of people watching a new musical still in development; you can feel the anticipation and the sense that something special is being shaped in real time.
The story kicks off like your classic rom-com: popcorn, sparks flying, and an awkward run-in with an old flame. But it quickly becomes clear that Polly is doing something a little different. Polly is a plus-sized, polyamorous northerner living in London, and when she receives a wedding invitation from her cousin Luke, fantasy collides with reality. With family expectations closing in and the long-standing assumption that her boyfriend will be the one by her side Polly decides to stop editing herself and instead bring her girlfriend. It’s a bold, refreshing premise that feels very now.
Some parts of the storyline were a little predictable, particularly in the first half, but there were also some genuinely amazing and heartfelt moments that really landed. The emotional beats around identity, self-acceptance, and family pressure felt honest and relatable. When the show leaned into that emotional truth, it really shone.
The cast brought great energy to the workshop. Martin Callaghan (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, UK Tour; Sweeney Todd, Derby Playhouse) was strong as David, grounding the story nicely. While Claudia Kariuki (Six – The Musical, Vaudeville Theatre; Wicked, Apollo Victoria Theatre) brought warmth and charisma to Jen. Natalie Durkin, playing Polly, has a brilliant singing voice she carried the score beautifully and gave Polly both vulnerability and strength.
As it’s still in development, there are definitely a few things that could be ironed out in the first half mainly tightening the storyline and sharpening parts of the script but that’s the nature of a workshop. The potential is absolutely there. With a bit more refinement, I genuinely think Polly: A 21st Century Love Story could have a fantastic run in an Off-West End theatre.
It’s exciting to see new British musical theatre exploring modern love and identity in this way, and I’ll definitely be watching to see where Polly goes next.