With the public holiday of Labor Day 1997 approaching, the regulars of The Southside Bar gather for what might be their last round.
For over 30 years the establishment has been the beating heart of small-town life in rural Kentucky, but when a stranger arrives with news of foreclosure it seems the patrons might have to drink like there is no tomorrow.
The threat of demolition only sharpens the urge to tie up old threads - confessions, regrets, and romances both missed and rekindled.
Fiona, a charming English Lit student, is celebrating her birthday while mustering the courage to tell her best friend that she loves them. Audrey is struggling to understand her Pastor father. Zach is not new to this rodeo and is desperately trying not to say that he misses his ex, Kendall; Tom is clumsily trying to get the name and number of a free spirited out of town girl, geekily bonding over Star Wars. It could be one last bar room love story … or not.
Watching from his corner table is Earl, a fixture for decades and puritanical churchgoer who drinks like a sinner. He is prone to giving advice of the “back in my day” variety, but it is to him that Maggie (manager and daughter of the ailing owner) will turn to determine what the bar truly means to her and what the future holds.
This new Appalachian folk musical offers a tender and humorous slice-of-life story, weaving themes of love, loneliness, hope, family, and community. Only the central thread finds resolution – fitting enough given the title’s promise of missed connections.
It nods convincingly toward the musical vocabulary and storytelling style of the Appalachian tradition, with several strong melodic numbers, neatly reprised, and grounded performances. Though a large cast and live “house band” mean the choreography is necessarily restrained, the company make effective use of the space.
Solid rather than groundbreaking, the piece carries echoes of Come From Away in its rootedness and ensemble staging, with perhaps a watering hole wink toward Anna Kendrick’s “Cups” song from Pitch Perfect.
As a student-written work, it is impressively assured - and pours a generous measure of heart.
Show Times: 18 to 23 August 2025 at 5.05pm.
Tickets: £8 (£6) to £12 (£9)
Suitability: 12+ (Note – Show contains strong language / swearing).