A STRANGE LOOP On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread — Page 8

Question - I listened to the Off Broadway cast album and pretty much hated it. I am guessing if I didn't enjoy that I probably won't enjoy the show? Or is this one of those shows that the music is much better in the context of the actual production? I just found the score to be slightly monotonous and grating on my first listen.

ColorTheHours048 said: "Listening to the cast recording this morning, I can definitely appreciate some of Michael R. Jackson’s score, but I think my primary issue with the show last night (aside from the book, which I maintain I found to be too much of a therapy session) was Jaquel Spivey’s performance as Usher. Where Larry Owens’s vocal performance feels outspoken and brash, Jaquel feels withdrawn and constantly introspective. It makes the final moment - “A Strange Loop” - feel like a continuation of everything he’s already been doing rather than a moment of personal epiphany. Felt very passive and so none of the emotional journey he was apparently going through connected, for me."

agree.I felt like he learned nothing from his journey and i didn't care for the show at all. People around me were holding their heads in their hands for a good portion of it seemingly wanting to vacate as soon as possible.
Anyone know why Larry isn't doing the role anymore?

I was surprised to discover how much I missed Larry Owens in this. His bravura performance brought a lot of the show into a focus, and it just isn’t quite the same without him. Owens was brash, very funny, and had a certain performative sanctimoniousness that papered over his clear insecurity. And having an experienced comedian in that role made segments like “Writing a Gospel Play” turn into showstoppers. Spivey, I felt, seemed semi-defeated from the start and sort of plateaued at that level. It’s a very different take on the character, one that’s more introverted and insular.


But I still think the musical shines. The Thoughts have only become stronger. And while some elements of the show have been slightly sanded down (the Inwood Daddy sequence especially, if one can imagine- the meth use has been replaced with poppers), Jackson still is determined to skewer and illuminate a lot: the pandering vapidity of theater gatekeepers, the bigotry and sleaziness of the white gay community, the homophobia and materialism of black Christianity, the facile commercialism of black respectability. These are largely unflattering- but also truth, and truth we seldom see onstage, and often delivered with acidic humor. Yes, the n-word is slung around a lot- from the mouths of black performers, put there by a black writer, and they all know what they’re doing. There’s a reason why Jackson reserves his most sympathetic portrait for the older tourist theatergoer who chats with Usher- the only kindness he receives in the show, and the sort of person who is largely dismissed as a joke- who advises him if he’s not afraid of writing the truth, then it’s not worth writing.

Larry Owens is running for Fayette County Coroner so he's too busy to play Broadway.

Kad said: "(the Inwood Daddy sequence especially, if one can imagine- the meth use has been replaced with poppers), Jackson still is determined to skewer and illuminate a lot: the pandering vapidity of theater gatekeepers, the bigotry and sleaziness of the white gay community, the homophobia and materialism of black Christianity, the facile commercialism of black respectability. These are largely unflattering- but also truth, and truth we seldom see onstage, and often delivered with acidic humor. Yes, the n-word is slung around a lot- from the mouths of black performers, put there by a black writer, and they all know what they’re doing.
"

I wish they would’ve kept meth instead of poppers tbh. The amount of guys who want to do meth with you on Grindr is pretty frequent in NYC sadly.

I think that for it to be a real honest portrayal of many black people, they had to use it. Let me preface by saying Black people are not a monolith and we are not all the same - however, we can’t deny that that word is thrown around a lot casually by our community. I think I love the contrast of using it in casual banter between the actors but also using it in a derogatory term the way Indood Daddy did. It completely changes your POV from “black people say this like it’s nothing” to “ummm…that’s no okay for him (inwood daddy) to say and that’s really ****ed up”.

I don’t know the name of the song but the one where he is on Grindr looking for sex and being written off because of his race hits so close to home for many black men. Even though the gay community preaches about acceptance and love…Deep down we are just as racist and judgmental as the outsiders. It’s a really hard conversation to have with a lot of white gays because they’re instant reaction is (like in the musical) “it’s just a preference” or “no that’s no true IM not racist”. I really hope that this musical leads to open conversations among the gay community about issues that we like to sweep under the rug.

Kad said: "I absolutely agree the meth use should have been kept- despite it being widespread in the gay community, it is rarely, if ever, actually depicted. It’s basically an open secret, and one that’s ruining countless lives."

Wow. I really wish they would have kept the meth reference, this scene would have hit so much harder.

Well now I’m torn on listening to the cast recording or going in blind. I don’t want to be lost due to the sound mixing issues. Is the show sung-through?

At the matinee yesterday there was someone involved with the show sitting in 3rd row center. Maybe he was checking on sound?

who was the guy who threw up flowers to each of the cast? His energy & emotions were sincere.

well I couldn’t get Row D but I’m going back on May 4th matinee Row C seat 2.

Updated On: 4/17/22 at 07:09 PM

I couldn’t “connect” with the show cuz it was an undisciplined, sloppy mess without compelling characters. I was praying for an intermission to hightail it out of there, but no luck.

n2nbaby said: "Also, it needs to be said - the American Beauty reference in the shower was the hardest I’ve laughed in A GOOD WHILE."

The moment that got me was the “I’m looking to take lo*ds in the Lucky’s bathroom on 52nd”. I was DYIIIINNNGG. Every Hells kitchen gay knows that Lucky Burger is where you end up on a Saturday night after making mistakes at Rise. I definitely appreciated that laugh.

I’ve been casually singing “looking? Into? Hung?” all day.

Updated On: 4/17/22 at 07:51 PM