Saw this last night. Reading that Hedy Weiss review, she is certainly staying true to form. Woman in batsh*t crazy. This show is two things: dreary and dull. A ballad-heavy cliche-stuffed parade of moody bitterness that tries to be the next Billy Elliot, but with no Billy, no balance, little humor and little warmth. There are a few pretty tunes and a couple of them work, but most really aren't written for musical theatre and the lyrics lie clumsily on slow melodies that drone at a deadly pace. The first act alone is almost entirely ballads with the title song repeated often enough for may of the audience around me in line for drinks at intermission to share the common wish to NEVER HEAR IT AGAIN. There is one character carrying the sole burden of slight comic relief and the only character of interest, though not used often enough or consistently. But due to the entirely predictable book, you can pretty much gauge exactly when he'll be on stage and for how long. The one good thing about the book is that it is so predeictable, you don't have to worry about trying to navigate the frequent sharp turns in the characters' emotions and motivations. They make little sense and don't really add up, but you accept them because you know precisely where the story has to go.
The staging is not as dull as the book or score. It's just sort of ugly and confusing. I don't mind the ugliness because of the setting, which is appropriate. But when the set changes, it's not really clear what it's supposed to be. No matter. There's a 75% chance whatever it is will have a plaintive ballad with lyrics like "beyond all measure, you're a pirate's treasure" and you start wondering what you'll be cooking for breakfast in the morning.
But if all of that doesn't strike your fancy, there is plenty of non-dancing choreographed "movement" to catch your eye. You know, the sort of stuff you see at the beginning of If/Then? Walk around and sort of stop and move an arm or lean only because there is music so there has to be something even if it looks awkward and trite. Sometimes they stomp! And there is something of pyrotechnics. Used appropriately with purpose about half the time. The other half just to be there. Maybe to wake you up? And then a pretty stage picture at the end. It doesn't really resemble what it's supposed to be, but you knew at the beginning of the show what it would be, so you marvel that something is happening and the volume increases and what felt like 5 hours in two-and-a-half is finally over.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
Updated On: 6/28/14 at 10:52 AM
