| The Little Big Things | |
| Subtitle: | A New Musical |
| Music: | Nick Butcher |
| Lyrics: | Nick Butcher Tom Ling |
| Basis: | The Little Big Things by Henry Fraser |
| Premiere Date: | 2 September 2023 |
| Premiere Location: | @sohoplace, London |
| Productions: | 2023 West End |
The Little Big Things is a musical with music by Nick Butcher, lyrics by Nick Butcher and Tom Ling and a book by Joe White, based on the Sunday Times best selling memoir of the same name by Henry Fraser. The show received three Laurence Olivier Award nominations, including Best New Musical and won Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Amy Trigg.
The musical made its world premiere at @sohoplace in London's West End beginning previews on 2 September 2023. Originally scheduled to run until 25 November 2023, it was announced that the production would be extending to 2 March 2024 and didn't receive another extension and closed on 2 March 2024.[1] The production was directed by Luke Sheppard.[2] Full casting was announced on 7 July 2023.[3]
| 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Henry Fraser (Man) | Ed Larkin | |
| Henry Fraser (Boy) | Jonny Amies | |
| Fran Fraser | Linzi Hateley | |
| Andrew Fraser | Alasdair Harvey | |
| Tom Fraser | Jamie Chatterton | |
| Will Fraser | Cleve September | |
| Dom Fraser | Jordan Benjamin | |
| Agnes | Amy Trigg | |
| Dr. Graham | Malinda Parris | |
| Katie | Gracie Mcgonigal | |
| Surgeon | Rebecca Bowden | |
| Marco | Tom Oliver |
The show had its official opening night on 14 September 2023, with critics in attendance giving it positive reviews; Andrew Lloyd Webber tweeted, "I've just had the most exciting night in a theatre for years. @TLBTmusical is an all British musical and it's a total triumph...it will be an international smash."[5]
Alun Hood of WhatsOnStage.com gave it five stars, stating "it's a truly great time in the theatre" and "The thunderous score is a major factor in this: Nick Butcher and Tom Ling's tune-filled, exhilarating work occupies that sweet spot where pop, rock and folk compounds with theatrical bombast."[6] The Observer gave it high praise and called the music "punch-the-air triumph" and the show "Full of the joys of being alive".[7] Arifa Akbar of The Guardian stated "Nick Butcher's music and lyrics (by Butcher and Tom Ling) are strong and catchy, incorporating pop, jazz and gospel alongside big musical ballads" but that the show felt too "bright eyed".[8] Dominic Cavendish wrote in his review of the year's theatre in The Telegraph newspaper, that "those worrying where the British musical will go after Andrew Lloyd Webber could take heart from The Little Big Things, an uplifting adaptation by the composer Nick Butcher and others."[9]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | WhatsOnStage Awards[10] | Best New Musical | ||
| Best Performer in a Musical | Ed Larkin | |||
| Best Supporting Performer in a Musical | Amy Trigg | |||
| Best Casting Direction | Jill Green | |||
| Laurence Olivier Awards[11] | Best New Musical | |||
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical | Amy Trigg | |||
| Best Theatre Choreographer | Mark Smith | |||