Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) and into our Hearts

Nov 20, 2025 by Two Sues On the Aisle

By Two Sues on the Aisle, Susie Rosenbluth and Sue Weston

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) is a musical romantic-comedy written by Jim Barnes and Kit Buchan, delivering a whirlwind tour through New York, with an improbable connection and laughter by an extraordinary two-person cast. Dougal (Sam Tutty), a naive, bubbly British boy who dreamed his whole life of meeting his estranged father, comes to NY to attend his father’s wedding. Robin (Christini Pitts), the sister of the bride-to-be, is a street-smart woman who grew up in Flatbush, whose life has been a series of disappointments.

Two Strangers will have you believing in second chances, life’s unexpected detours, and the majesty of NYC. In just 2 days, everything will change.

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

Get Lost in the Moment

Two Strangers gives an all too familiar story of young adults from broken families searching for something more, whose lives collide. Their initial meeting, in Kennedy Airport, where Dougal literally bumps into Robin, is hilarious. Robin is attending to last-minute wedding chores; collecting Dougal from the airport is just one task on the list.

Dougal, who is expecting a reunion with his estranged father, peppers Robin with non-stop questions about his dad, the wedding, and the city. His over-the-top excitement is a stark contrast to her humdrum, lackluster attitude. Robin is underwhelmed with her life choices, working in a coffee shop, Bump ‘n’ Grind Coffee, in the East Village.

Dougal sees the world as the plot of a movie. He is happy, working making popcorn in a movie theater, and lives at home with his mum. Dougal’s youthful exuberance reminds us just how magical New York City can be, as described vividly in the opening song ‘New York’ (which we see becoming a future NYC favorite).

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

Fall in Love with New York Again

Two Strangers is a kaleidoscope of the sounds and sights of New York, as imagined by a British tourist whose reference is seeing Home Alone 2. He describes “pizza for breakfast and steam in the air, where everyone has an apartment to spare with a skyline view, and even improbable dreams come true”. Dougal equates coming to New York with a long-awaited reunion with his dad. He wants to ice skate in Rockefeller Center, see the Statue of Liberty, and experience the full tourist experience in this brief visit. He is like a puppy, jumpy, excitedly begging Robin to be part of his adventure. But she is not interested, trying unsuccessfully to disengage.

NYC is a multi-colored tapestry, where a subway ride is an exciting and wonderful experience, as the duo rushes from Queens to Manhattan to Brooklyn. The ingenious set, made of oversized silver suitcases that revolve in the center stage, first as the airport baggage claim and transforming to represent buildings, apartments, and city streets. This minimalistic design, ideal for climbing, dancing, focused our attention on the actors, whose relationship evolves, playing off each other, drawing us into their stories as seen from Robin’s perspective. While Dougal’s intensity to experience ‘it all’ pushes them together, his thoughts are revealed through (one-sided) telephone conversations with his Mum.

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

The Production

The opening sequence was inspired, Dougal and Robin brushing their teeth, while in the background, radio broadcasts from the US and UK intertwine. Their banter and timing perfectly matched their blossoming relationship.

Act One is Broadway at its best, delivering catchy songs with wonderful lyrics, complemented by a fast-moving plot punctuated with almost non-stop laughs. Tully and Pitts connect on stage with great chemistry. The comic appeal of this preposterous situation, a delusional son who hopes for a relationship with a long-lost (millionaire) father, and travels over 4,000 miles for this dream. ‘Are you ready for me in New York? The liberty city where even my father wants to hang out with me.’

Act Two was not as well-focused or as funny. While it brings us to a well-constructed conclusion, it fails to take advantage of NYC as the City that never sleeps. As a native New Yorker, it would have been interesting to have Robin and Dougal explore the entirety of the city throughout the wee hours of the morning, waking up in an unusual venue, like the Staten Island ferry. We would have liked Dougal to experience the wonders of NYC after dark.

This British import was first staged at the Royal and Derngate in Northampton and the New Wolsey in Ipswich in 2019, provides an outsider’s view of New York, a little confused in terms of locations, but still relatable to NYC insiders.

A Feel-Good Story

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) delivers a message of hope, connection, and forgiveness. This is summed up by Robin’s fortune cookie: “This time next year, you’ll be happy.”

The music, the acting, and the humor make the performance thoroughly enjoyable, relatable to anyone who has faced self-doubt. Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) is a must-see Broadway musical that embodies the power of positivity, set in the greatest city in the world, New York. It is a feel-good story, fitting for the holiday season.

Two Sues on the Aisle bases its ratings on how many challahs (1-5) it pays to buy (rather than make) to see the play, show, film, book, or exhibit being reviewed.

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) received 4 Challahs

Runtime: 120 minutes with one 15-minute intermission