Closing night of Trick the Musical had a party vibe and an enthusiastic crowd. The libretto sticks close to the structure of the film, but changes the characterizations of the supporting players. This lets the cast put their own spin on things rather than imitating their film counterparts. The songs have an Avenue Q / Title of Show vibe but with less cruelty.
My quibble is that they’ve sanded off some of the film’s rough edges and removed agency from the hapless leads.
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Mark no longer helps Perry (now Teri) reconcile with their ex. The two reconcile on their own.
He no longer reports being filmed by the drag queen without consent. Now he just says they’re a liar.
Gabe no longer has an ugly fight with Kathryn where he’s forced to stand up for himself. Instead he just apologizes for missing her show and she shrugs it off.
This removes stakes and character growth from a story that never had much to begin with.
Ultimately the show is a fun time. It succeeds at giving you something familiar and something fresh. Which is what more adaptations should strive for.
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