Saw the show last night and had a marvelous time, despite its flaws. Whizzer's done a superb job spelling out the absurdities and inconsistencies regarding "the last ship" itself, so I won't go there. Suffice it to say that the dramaturgy surrounding how the ship is designed, built and financed is still pretty sloppy. I also wish that the physical representation of the ship and its building were stronger. That said, I could argue -- like a previous poster -- that the ship itself is 100% poetic metaphor. Given the literalness of the rest of the show, however, that's a harder argument to make and support.
Is the show "dreary?" I suppose, if what you're looking for is "Bullets" or "The Producers." But anyone expecting that kind of glitz and glamour hasn't been paying attention. I think the comparison to "Billy Elliott" is apt, although this is miles better than the latter IMHO, mainly due to Sting's contribution. I left "Billy Elliott" praying I would never hear that score again; Sting's score is by turns melodic, moving, powerful and haunting. As interpolated, I don't think that "All This Time" works particularly well. "And Yet," when you listen to the lyrics, are specific to Gideon's character and situation. "All This Time" is thematically right, but the pop lyrics don't always make sense -- and you can barely understand what Michael Esper is saying at times. (And it was hard to get Sting's voice out of my head, a distinct distraction.)
But I had a great time nonetheless. The show is staged and performed very, very well; at times the energy and theatricality of it all are quite thrilling. Here's an original musical in which the characters and their conflicts are engaging and honestly drawn. The Gideon-Meg-Arthur triangle makes sense, and I clearly understood their conflicting emotional struggles and desires. The sense of the community and its needs is palpable, far more so than in "Bridges," for all the blather of how important it was to that show's concept. Bottom line, I bought into the world that Sting, Logan, Yorkey & Mantello created, and felt for all the people they've chosen to inhabit it. So, in that sense, the show worked beautifully.
The cast is universally strong, particularly Applegate (whom I have always felt was too schtick dependent in the past) and the fabulous Rachel Tucker. What a powerhouse she is! Esper I found quite sympathetic, as was Lazar, who has the easiest role. Collin Kelly-Sordelet, in his dual roles, is quite effective. All in all, this is a show well worth seeing. I enjoyed it for its strengths far more than I was distracted by its weaknesses.
Updated On: 10/8/14 at 11:40 AM