The story of a relationship from start to finish is told in this musical.

But while rising novelist Jamie, played by David O’Mahony, relates events from start to finish, struggling actress Cathy, played by Katrina Lindop, tells her story backwards.

The two characters meet only once, at their wedding in the middle of the show.

Director Simon Carnell says: “One of my friends who was at drama school sang a song from the show. As soon as I heard it, I wanted to know what it was. I’ve always wanted to direct it.”

The Last Five Years, by Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown, was first performed in Chicago in 2001.

Mr Carnell says: “It’s quite moving but also very funny. There’s one song about a gay midget in Ohio and another about a Jewish tailor called Shmuel at Christmas.”

It’s the first full show from Completely Productions, the theatre company Mr Carnell set up in August last year with the aim of staging less often performed musicals.

He had gained experience of directing in the theatre with Finchley and Friern Barnet Operatic Society and the north London-based Arena Productions.

The Last Five Years is on at The Bull Theatre, in High Street, Barnet, from Thursday, February 26, to Saturday 28, at 7.45pm.

Tickets cost £12.50 and are available at ticketsource.co.uk/completely