As the third lockdown happened, in January 2021, two graduates of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Lucy Alder & Sofie Kaern decided to follow a strong ethos which had already proven itself, “Create Your Own To Grow Your Own” and founded The COW Community. This new writing initiative was developed and researched with the aim of creating a community that could unite lovers of new writing. Off the back of this, they have released their first online musical project, The F*ck Am I Doing, written by talented duo, writer Ali Keller and composer Emily Rose Simons.

Produced by the duo and Madeline Osborn, the digital pre-recorded showcase premiered for the first time on 30 April 2021 with a dedicated portion of ticket sales going to Playing Sane, the UK-based not-for-profit mental health organisation for artists. It will also feature as a part of the online line-up at Brighton Fringe 2021, between the 29 May-1 June.

Unraveled as a song cycle, the musical was originally written about the millennial generation and their transition through questioning the 20s decade, written by millennials themselves, but as the show tackles an insightful exploration of mental health and loneliness and trying to understand adulthood, it can be relatable to anyone who experienced lockdown, who is still trying to find their place in the world and the person they want to become no matter what age, and every person who ever felt like they had no idea of what the f*ck they are doing! 

The opening ensemble number, picking up the musical title, presents the seven performers, each one in their own room and windows. This incisive and authentic musical explores the fear of losing time and itself through the time-consuming social media, the ups and downs at work, especially in customer service positions, the distinctive link between faith and grief, and the difficulty of speaking honestly to one another. This anxious vicious circle of feelings, not being enough, not deserving rewards and opportunities while working for them, the new relationship rules where everyone has an opinion but where it’s tough and complicated to find and express as its own. 

Performed during daily moments, this widely intense musical exploration shows the characters at work, during laundry, in the woods, in the streets but also in the places they feel most comfortable, whether at home or outside, but let the audience imagine the rest by not revealing many details about the character’s lives or their connections to one another, apart from sharing the same concerns. Mostly sung-though during its 90 minute runtime, the digital format presents ensemble, duet and solo numbers, with powerful lyrics, accompanied by impeccable music.

Directed by Manda Jønsson, the pre-recorded format is perfectly edited, clear within the different windows and scenes, with some phone screens projected, and doesn’t suffer any video restraints, only tiny delays between some songs are noticed but this doesn’t alter the performances.

The cast, comprised by graduates for the most part, includes talented actors and singers Scarlet Simmons, Danny Romeo, Lizzie Buckingham, Ayesha Staley, and Hannah Abdool, but also Sofie Kaern and Lucy Alder, who definitely deserve many rounds of applause.

We can only hope to have the opportunity to see more new projects from the COW Community and its cast members very soon.

**** Four stars 

Reviewed by: Alexia Irene

For more information about the show, please click here.