All About Broadway II

A continuation of my reviewing binge from last entry. And PS to the person who is hacking sugarpoet.com - that's not cool!

6) Sides - An almost funny insider comedy down at the Bleeker Street Theater, Sides both appeals to and repels the producer, writer, casting agent, director, and perhaps even the actor. The joke of the confused and incompetent auditioner, ridiculous dialogue and plot, politically incorrect casting agent, and bizarre director is funny but starts to wear thin after, oh, five minutes. At first, you think to yourself "It is so like that!" Then you realize Sides is saying that everyone in the industry is a talentless hack with no sense of artistic integrity. The play ends with a musicalized version of Medea with dancing, silver lame costumes, and a strobe light. Admittedly, many a production induces the query, "How did this find a backer?" (see the below review). And while Sides is funny enough not to elicit this sad question, one is left with another, "Where's the hope?" If you're making fun of something you do, there always needs to be hope, otherwise there's no point in making fun.

7) In My Life - I can honestly say that this is the worst new musical I have ever seen. And I have seen virtually every new musical hoisted on off-Broadway and Broadway this season. The production values are incredible - they spent a lot of money on this stinking pile of horse manure. The plot is ridiculous, the theme is Hallmark dripping with Sweet n' Low, the performances are mediocre bordering on summer stock, the costumes and scenery overblown, and the music....The lyrics, melodies, and terrible underscore are perhaps the most suicide-inducing of any musical written...ever. At some point, I could no longer muster the courtesy clap. Needless to say, we left before the bows (the belatedness of our exit owed to the lack of intermission). If you value your sanity, save your money for Spelling Bee or even Wicked. And if you've seen those shows, stay home and watch some TV. There are commercials that have more artistic integrity than In My Life.

8) The Great American Trailer Park Musical - A product of last year's NYMF, this outrageously funny and fun musical is down at the magnificent Dodger Stages, which has provided a great (albeit subterranean) space for off-Broadway shows. Though shticky with no central dramatic thesis (at least not one of apparent value), the shtick is entertaining and even a little risky. The vocal performances and comic delivery are so outstanding that you barely notice the derivative and banal nature of the rock score. The set is rather ingenious with trailers that open up to form a strip club and other trailer park niceties. If you're looking for something to do that will leave you (temporarily) without a care in the world, Trailer Park is a good bet.

9) Slut - Slut is a traditional love story masquerading as some kind of Gen X morality tale, with drab and repetitive rock music.

10) Nor'mal - For the duration of the show, I felt like I was sitting in health class, suffering through yet another dramatization of some current scare among parents of teenagers (in this case, anorexia). Dressed up in metaphoric garb and bizarre staging, Nor'mal is a Lifetime movie with ordinary musical theater songs inserted every ten to fifteen minutes.

All About Broadway

Actually, these shows are all off-Broadway, but you get the idea. I've recently seen a whole slew of musicals and plays - the ones in this blog entry have closed. Look to the next entry for those that are still up and running. Here are some brief reviews:

1. See What I Wanna See - Warning: this review is from a letter to Michael John LaChiusa and is ridiculously effusive about the work. "Today I saw See What I Wanna See at the Public and was, am...astonished. Each element of the show perfected and enriched the other: from the mellifluous, layered richness of the musical landscape, to the warmth and intelligence of comedic and dramatic moments, to the fluid, easy movement from scene to song. The intellectual depth, yet emotional authenticity of the piece is still working its way through me. The beauty of the song shared between Kesa and Morito, and the sheer power of the cantata-like last ensemble number are like electricity in my circuits. I feel changed somehow."
2. Miracle Brothers - Nice idea, about peace and promoting brotherhood among the races, but then nice ideas often have a way of coming off as a little too PC, which was the case here. The performances from the male lead and several of the female performers were exemplary and the sets were serene, the choreography explosive. But overall, a disappointment.
3. In the Wings - let us never speak of this again.
4. 6 Women with Brain Death - part of the NYMF's assortment of musicals, this fun series of shorts all (or nearly all) revolving around a light feminist theme, entertained, though not perhaps as smartly as it intended. The music was not particularly memorable (except for the opening number) but was funny and enjoyable. All six women delivered admirable performances despite numerous demands made on them by the strange staging, prop use, and seemingly gratuitous costume changes.
5. The Tutor - alas, this work tried hard, lurching out of the gate with several nice numbers in the first act and an achingly "authentic" and heartfelt theme, but ultimately failed to keep me entertained through the second act.
6. Dr. Sex - I felt like I was watching the Pajama Game or the Music Man with semi-nudity and adult themes. If you think that's a compliment, this is the show for you.