‘Nobody cares.’ A phrase used more often than it ever should be, by performers, by partners, by parents, and particularly by women who have felt the need to compromise themselves in each of these roles.
What if that statement was in fact a reclamation of self?
It shouldn’t matter who we are, how we look, how we choose to control our own lives. We must give ourselves permission: permission to fail, to choose for ourselves, for the protection of our mental health, and not because it is what the patriarchy insists of us.
Tony Award-winning Broadway star Laura Benanti has taken on the mantle of being the spokesperson for change in her one-woman comedy show Nobody Cares. Her aim is to help convince the self-analytical world to let go of damaging people-pleasing habits, and allow themselves the freedom to believe that ‘nobody cares’.
A self-confessed people-pleaser, Laura charts her journey, professional and personal, from ingénue to motherhood, through stories and songs filled with wit, wisdom, and deeply felt emotion.
Having made her Broadway debut at 18 in the ensemble of The Sound of Music, she soon took over the lead role of Maria, and continued to play numerous high-profile roles such as Cinderella in Into the Woods and Louise in Gypsy, for which she won her Tony Award, having already been nominated twice in previous years.
It was during her time in Into the Woods that she suffered a life-changing injury, breaking her neck whilst performing a pratfall, a move she is very frank about never feeling comfortable performing, yet didn’t want to object to, despite the risk. She shared that in recent years she even continued performing onstage whilst suffering a miscarriage. On this she commented ‘if it had been our first loss, or even our second, I likely wouldn’t have been able to go on […] but unfortunately I am not a stranger to the pain and emptiness of losing a pregnancy’.
In her personal life she admits there was barely a time when she was not in a relationship, dating many and twice marrying, as she calls them, ‘man boys’. Her third marriage, and ‘absolutely her final’ has given her two daughters upon whom she clearly dotes, but again is not a stranger to the difficulties motherhood brings, especially when your children actually don’t want you, a trained and award-winning singer, to sing to them!
All this honesty and storytelling sounds heavy, but Laura is a consummate performer who finds light and life in her story. The humour she uses does not detract from the reality of troubling behaviours that have been normalised, and the longing to have said or done something different, even when tackling subjects including ‘Good Men’ and perimenopause.
Instead, Nobody Cares is a laughter-filled, anecdotal adventure, stylishly punctuated with powerful and varied vocal moments, and lessons to be heard and aspired to, all in 65 minutes.
Laura’s voice is flawless and it is refreshing to hear her make use of her lower register, embellishing, as only she can, in her glorious upper range. She jokes about audiences expecting some ‘legit singing’, perhaps a bit of Phantom of the Opera, or Stephen Sondheim. The interplay of story and song speaks of a passion for form and supports her strong understanding of musical theatre.
The script is natural and slick, perhaps occasionally too slick, but always faithful to her intention. Annie Tippe’s direction keeps the storytelling lively while allowing Laura’s personality and performance to remain firmly at the heart of the show. Laura holds the audience in the palm of her hand, responding effortlessly to their reactions, and handling unexpected moments with the ease of a seasoned host. She is completely relaxed and at home onstage, radiating confidence without ever seeming arrogant about her considerable talent. She is accompanied by a small band of drums, bass, and keys, led by Musical Director and co-writer Todd Almond who expressed his pride in working with her and commented on how it is ‘hard to knock her off her track’.
One of the standout numbers is ‘Mama’s a Liar’ which explores how parents protect their children from difficult truths by lying to them. A riot of a number, expertly written, with a strong upbeat nature, which is then slowed to reflect the beauty and sincerity of the love in which that choice is rooted.
My only real criticism is the show’s structure. Having started at the very beginning (pun intended!) and presented chronologically to the present day, it suddenly pulls us right back to the beginning again rather than landing on a satisfying conclusion about what the central message means for her, and for us, now. A little reorganisation, perhaps another song, might help the show land its final intent more powerfully.
Speaking to Laura after the show, she is clearly excited about what she is offering, and reflects upon the differences and similarities between US and UK audiences. Both offer raucous approval and reassurances that the jokes are landing, it’s just that we Brits have a certain way of showing favour. Her foremost concern is that more women, mothers, and allies (there’s a song for you!) will discover the show and be empowered by its message.
So please, I implore you to go and see Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares. Take your friends, your mothers, their mothers, and let it open up a conversation about people-pleasing, the dangers, and identity destroying behaviours it encourages, and letting go of the need to do so. Laura makes a persuasive and frequently hilarious case that accepting ‘nobody cares’ might just allow us to become the authentic selves that we were always meant to be.
Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares is on at Underbelly Soho between 23-26 July 2026.
Book your tickets Underbellyboulevard.com
Words by Abigail Jones
Photography by Pamela Raith
