IN MY LIFE, from a flopaholic, Review

BSo you're toying with my emotions! I got all excited and was then let down with only a Fiddler interview. Bah, until tomorrow...

I have never had as much fun at the theatre as I did when I saw “In My Life.” Between operatic pirates, flying fairies, dancing skeletons, product placement, Tourette’s, OCD, sex, bars, bicycles, scooters, rhyming, pianos, special effects, and, of course, lemons – “In My Life” proves to be one of the most original, creative shows I have ever seen.

When you first enter the theatre, you see the large brown, brick wall, with brick columns in the wings. Each column has a light facing into the center of the stage. There is a large projection screen in front of the brick wall showing clouds, and the occasional bird flying by. The show begins with Chiara Navarra, as Vera, singing “Life Turns on a Dime” from Heaven – which is apparently a lighting baton lowered into view of the audience. Then Christopher Hanke (J.T.) enters in a recording studio, playing his guitar, picking up “Life Turns on a Dime.” Finally, Jessica Boevers (Jenny – which is a bad name as it has only a few rhymes) enters and sings the song. The scene moves between Jenny and J.T. in a bar where they meet, fall in love, and end up having quick sex (with their clothes on, apparently) at Jenny’s place. Winston, a flamboyant fairy and an angel (wink, wink) descends from Heaven on two obvious wires (making jokes about special effects) in an outlandish white costume that cannot even be described. None of Winston’s costumes can be described – as they range from a rock 80’s mix to…what you may see in a Greenwich Village parade…if everyone was stoned. He decides that J.T and Jenny’s doomed relationship (as J.T. is infested with Tourette’s, OCD, and some others that make him flinch, shake, and scream random obscenities like “f*ck, suck, duck”) is “Perfect for an Opera” – God’s Opera, that is. By now Jenny has had two songs, her duet with J.T. (“It Almost Feels Like Love”) and “What a Strange Life We Live.” Boever’s voice gets a bit grating after a while. As an actress, she isn’t horrible. Hanke’s has a beautiful voice and quickly proves he deserves to be on Broadway.

Then comes Winston’s “Doomed” (aka the opera with pirates). When he decides that this idea won’t work, he returns to Heaven (a large heap of file cabinets) to file his Pirate Opera under ‘R’ (get it?). Now we get to meet Al, on his bicycle, and Vera enters on her scooter. This leads Vera to sing a little song, “What a Strange Life We Live.” I swear, it was like déjà vu.

Now, let’s skip ahead, to the end, past the Volkswagon jingles, passed Jenny’s friend, Samantha, and Samantha’s dead boyfriend, Nick. Past the Dr. Pepper jingle (aka Al’s audition piece of the Opera), the projected bubbles, the dancing skeleton projections, the life-size skeleton with which Winston dances. Past J.T.’s mother (and well, Vera’s mother as well) who sings Opera in Italian and looks Philippine (wheras J.T. looks Aryan, and Vera is passable as a tanned white girl). Past all the strange things that make this show so much fun.

Finally, we arrive at the end, sadly. A huge cardboard Lemon comes down and covers the stage. The costumes are, of course yellow, and look like Piazza rejects. The lighting is fun, well, doesn’t add or take away from the show.


The book is very awkward in a lot of places. And poor Navarra, who isn’t the best actress, of course, gets stuck with these one lines like “Ok” and “Really?” The most awkward scene of the night, that really should be changed, is the scene between Vera and Nick. Also, a bit out of place, but sort of key in the plot (what plot?) is J.T.’s tumor. The show takes an abrupt, serious turn. Everything else should stay the same. The music is, at times, bland and at other times a tremendous amount of fun – such as Winston’s songs (Secrets, which is still stuck I my head) and Al’s jingles. The lyrics are pretty bad. However, the show is treading at a point where each little piece – book, direction, lyrics, music (all Brooks’ jobs, of course) – is so bad, it’s actually entertainingly good. Through most of the show, I had my hand over my mouth unable to comprehend what I was seeing. Or rather, unable to believe what I was seeing was actually happening.

Special recognition to David Turner, who keeps the show interesting as Winston, Christopher Hanke, and Michael Farina as G…I mean…Al.

We all complain that shows lack creativity and originality. Well, “In My Life” offers a whole lot of creativity, and the obvious originality. It will astound, amaze, and weird you out. It should not be missed! Thank you to Joe Brooks for one of the most exciting shows I have ever seen.

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Side note:

To those comparing this to “Brooklyn” – don’t. “In My Life,” while in that same boat of a critical flop, is a bizarre comedy that laughs at itself (sort of) but keeps you entertained for all 1:45. IML is up there with Carrie as one of the strangest, I-Can’t-Believe-What-I’m-Seeing shows.

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SPOILER:

Probably the funniest part of the show, that slew the audience, was right before the curtain call, when Winston was getting ready to ascend (on his obvious wires). He did not fly up, so he said, “Bare with us, we’re in previews.” Obviously, this was scripted to happen. Finally, Winston said, “Clap if you believe in fairies. Thank you! Thank You!” And “Peter Pan” saves the show.

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If you want more info, just ask!

undi - I wasn't quite sure.

Cause from the start, he had an expression that he wasn't going to fly right then. So I don't know when he was supposed to fly up...then again, he said that like one second before they lifted him - so it was an awkward line...which fits with the show.

Oh, yeah, I met Joe Brooks!

im glad you enjoyed it! hahaa!!

Holy ****. It looks like I'm gonna drop the money to see this afterall. Simply becuase, I just don't beleive it.

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More posts! More posts! And more about Nick, the dead boyfriend!

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I'm seeing it for the third time on Wednesday! So excited.

Oddly enough, I'm starting to think I'd like to see the show again, if only to make sure I didn't make up parts of it in a dream!

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STAY AWAY FROM THIS HORRIBLE PIECE OF CRAP. I COULD BARELY SIT THROUGH THE FIRST 5 MINUTES. ITS GOD AWFUL AND IN DESPERATE NEED OF A CLOSING NOTICE. ITS TAKING UP SPACE LET SOMETHING THATS DESERVING OF THE SPACE USE THE THEATRE.
WHEN I SAW IT NOONE WAS LAUGHING AT ALL EXCEPT AT THE MOMENTS WHERE THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSE TO. IT WAS PATHETIC. I FEEL HORRIBLE FOR THE CAST. TO HAVE TO GET UP AND TO PERFORM THAT EVERYDAY. MUST BE AN ACTORS WORST NIGHTMARE.

is the show on TKTS?
or any available discounts?
what did you pay, BSoBW2?

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JohnnyJune- THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TYPING IN ALL CAPS. ISN'T IT GREAT THAT PEOPLE JOIN JUST TO TRASH A SHOW? NOT!

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