I adore musicals, but I have seen very few. Recently, I attended my very first LUUMT production of the 2014 double-universe musical If/Then. Directed by Emma Mitchell, this show was a true immersion into the beauty, joy and catharsis of musical theatre. From the outstanding talents of the vocalists and musicians to the thoughtfulness behind the production, the show pulled me straight into its hair-splitting timelines and made me understand why I fell in love with musicals in the first place.
Liz/Beth
The musical follows Elizabeth, a woman returning to New York in the hope of rebooting her life after years spent in Phoenix. Reconnecting with her friends Kate, a charismatic kindergarten teacher, and Lucas, a passionate housing activist, she begins to consider what she wants her “next chapter” to look like. But here’s where If/Then breaks the mould: instead of following one linear storyline, the show splits Elizabeth’s life into two parallel paths, one in which she becomes Liz, led by a spur-of-the-moment romantic decision, and one in which she becomes Beth, the version who double-checks, overthinks, and chooses the sensible route.
The musical’s central question, “What if?”, becomes a haunting refrain. What if she turns left instead of right? Takes the job instead of the date? What ripples do those choices create? And who does she become because of them?
This existential knot is captured brilliantly by the production’s lead, Izzy Roberts, who switches between Liz and Beth with remarkable clarity. Her performance delivers the duality at the heart of the musical: the ways love, grief, ambition, and second chances can shape entirely different lives from a single moment of choice.
Love, Connection and Emotional Terrain
If If/Then sets out to chart the emotional landscape of modern adulthood, then it does so by placing relationships, all kinds of them, at its core. Romantic love is one trajectory the show explores, but it does not overshadow the quieter, equally transformative forms of connection. Friendship, in particular, acts as the stabilising force that keeps Elizabeth tethered no matter which life she’s living. Kate and Lucas don’t function as narrative accessories; they shape Elizabeth’s world, holding space for her fears, desires, and self-reinventions.
The show’s queer representation adds depth and nuance, especially through Lucas’s storyline. His relationships unfold with sincerity and emotional weight, neither sensationalised nor sidelined. Instead, they enrich both timelines, giving the narrative a grounded sense of contemporary reality.
The emotional voltage peaks in moments where timelines converge, diverge, or collapse into each other, the kind of moments that mirror the show’s standout emotional song, ‘A Map of You’ Themes of grief, motherhood, lost opportunity, and unexpected joy are handled with a balance of honesty and theatrical flair. What prevents the musical from feeling heavy is its strategic use of humour, the cathartic brilliance of “What the F**k” being a prime example. It’s a release valve in a world of impossibly tangled choices.
Directorial Vision and Musicality
Emma Mitchell’s direction gives the musical the clarity it demands. In a production filled with timeline jumps, double-cast realities, and emotional pivots, she keeps every transition comprehensible and meaningful. The staging emphasises intimacy, making even small gestures feel like turning points. The choice to foreground queer relationships with confidence and care strengthens the show’s emotional depth.
But perhaps the most impressive directorial decision is the treatment of the live band. Rather than hiding the musicians in a pit or the wings, the production brings them visibly into the heart of the performance. This elevates the musicality to the forefront and places the audience squarely inside each emotional beat. The music doesn’t accompany the story; it drives it, punctuating every choice Liz/Beth makes.
The ensemble matches this energy, delivering vocals and choreography that weave seamlessly between the two realities. Their cohesion keeps the dual narratives alive and distinct, while the band’s dynamism ensures that every shift in tone, from heartbreak to humour, lands with precision.
Final Thoughts
LUUMT’s If/Then is a triumph of clarity, emotion, and musical storytelling. It captures the terrifying freedom of choice, the weight of consequence, and the beauty of the connections that guide us, no matter which path we take. In its dual timelines, we see not just what life could be, but what it means to choose at all.
Writer: Janelle Erskine
Editor: Grace Lees