It’s been a book (2009), it’s been a movie (2011) and it’s been a Netflix TV series (2024) and now One Day: The Musical has had its world premiere at The Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh.
It’s actually quite fitting that Edinburgh should be the place chosen as the first location to showcase director Max Webster’s take on the book as Edinburgh is where the story’s characters, Emma and Dexter, begin their long relationship.
Told in the round, the Lyceum Theatre has been transformed for the production with seats now on the stage as well as in the auditorium.
Rae Smith’s set, whilst being minimalistic, creates an intimacy, for the audience, that helps to make One Day: The Musical just something that bit extra special. The use of a clicking clock and stage lighting to convey the passing of each year, whilst being simple, works terrifically well.
The story, if you’re not familiar, with the book, movie or TV series, sees Dexter Mayhem (Jamie Muscato) and Emma Morley (Sharon Rose) meeting up for the first time, when they are both students in Edinburgh, on the 15th July 1988. They talk about where and how they’ll be in 40 years before going their own way.
Over the next 20 years we drop in on the pair on the same day. During this time the pairs lives unfold very differently to their expectations.
A musical always stands and falls by the quality of the song writing and, with music and lyrics by Abner and Amanda Ramirez, One Day: The Musical doesn’t disappoint. From the wonderful “Em’s One Day” which closes act one to “Night Swimming” with its sublime choreography, Abner and Amanda Ramirez’s songs help to tell the story in a way that only musical theatre can.
It’s a shame to pick out anyone from the hugely talented cast but special mention has to go the two leads. Jamie Muscato and Sharon Rose are both terrific in their respective roles. Sharon Rose in particular is a standout and lights up the sage with her talent.
With productions such as Local Hero (2019) and Wild Rose (2025), One Day: the Musical carries on the The Royal Lyceum Theatre’s winning streak when it comes to producing musical theatre based on films.
Highly recommended.
