I don't want to deal with the NYT paywall so I'll just post my own thoughts.
I didn't mind it. I've certainly seen worse things off-Broadway. It's a show that grows on you as you accept what it is and let go of what it's not.
The first song, establishing the general sense of the story, is not terrible. You feel like it might just be easing you in... and then you come to realize that most of the music is written in a contemporary musical theater style without much influence from the traditional music of that region. It's a little more Disney than Jason Robert Brown. The composition is not that complicated and it does do those big emotional swells and while not "catchy" like The View Upstairs, it's also not very abrasive. Throughout the piece, you hear little things that vaguely hint at traditional Middle Eastern music. I'm not sure if that was created with appropriate instruments or just tambourines and some manipulation of Western instruments. But it's barely anything. This is certainly no The Band's Visit or even The Prince of Egypt.
There are certainly songs I thought they could outright cut. I'm not going to grab my program but the first song Feda sings to introduce his character is horrible. It doesn't suit the actor's voice at all. It's just a bad song... coming off of Eurovision, it is still sounded worse than some of that Eurotrash pop. And the way he was directed to go through the audience was just embarrassing. But it got better. There were definitely some standout songs toward the end of Act 1 into Act 2. That actor got to show off singing and the actor playing Paiman really got some nice moments. If Aladdin is still running when he's old enough, I think he could be great.
I think people are being really hard on the performers. Again, I've seen worse. I think partly it was the material in the beginning. Feda and Paiman are written in such that their early interactions seem... off. I mean you can make excuses about their emotional development and all that given the situation but it comes across as an adult trying to write these punk kids. I think as it settles into a more romantic place, that improves a little and the performers find a way to bring more emotional truth. I did find it affecting. I don't know if they totally succeeded with Jahandar but they certainly were trying something. He was more than just a flat villain. I felt the same complications that were there in Kid Victory. I liked that they didn't just make him a tortured character suppressing his true sexual identity. But... things were complicated. Zemar was the struggle for me. It was like they took that Abis Mal character from the Aladdin sequel and tried to plug him in wherever necessary. He was comic relief. He was the sounding board. He was the big villain. His characterization seemed the weakest because he was there to be what the plot required.
I wouldn't go just for the dancing but it isn't terrible if you think of it in the context of the show. Like, these shouldn't be virtuosic dancers. The point isn't that they escape and go off to dance in professional companies because they're so good. I think it dancing and choreography do what they need to do to serve the story. And the actor playing Paiman had some nice lines.
I could write a whole essay on how they handled sexuality and abuse in this show. I think they left a lot open. I don't think I could say with confidence that any of the characters were outright gay or straight or something in between. There was just a fluidity in the way they were looking for love and connection where it could be found. I do think partly because of the clunky book towards the beginning, the Feda and Paiman relationship was underdeveloped. Well, let me put it this way. At first, I thought they were rushing the connection. And then it turned out that they gave it more time than I thought. But ultimately I think there was a better way to write that. As for the abuse, while at first, it feels like it's glossed over I think they ultimately get to a place that goes farther than Kid Victory and feels more truthful. Even though, maybe it's a little melodramatic. I do think having that character sacrifice himself at the end felt problematic. And I know it's about a show in a world of men but I would be remiss if I didn't point out that we never hear how the female characters are affected by all of this.
I don't know. Ultimately, I left feeling mostly positive in spite of all the flaws. And I cried. So... take all of that how you will.
Updated On: 5/27/17 at 05:13 PM
