My personal preference in musicals is generally for shows that are subtly engaging rather than those that are large and loud. That distinction and my preference are well illustrated by my reaction to two new Broadway musicals that I visited on the same day last week.
The first show I attended was the new Disney musical NEWSIES, which is based on the failed musical film of the same name. It is almost an understatement to say that this show insists on bludgeoning its viewers over the head with its relentless perkiness. And to be fair, it is not a bad show, it features several well staged musical numbers, and has a real star (Jeremy Jordan) in the lead role. But in its overeager quest to entertain, the show loses any genuine heart or emotion, and its overused musical genre cliches make the whole endeaseems eel like a paint-by-numbers musical devoid of feeling. In the interest of full disclosure, I must note that the overwhelming majority of the audience at the "Newsies" performance I attended were vocally ecstatic over this show, and this show will likely be a popular hit. But I cannot recommend a show that does not make me feel anything beyond manipulated.
In stark contrast is the second of the two shows I saw that day, a return visit to the gentle, subtle and emotionally moving ONCE, which is also based on the movie of the same name. Having seen and loved the off-Broadway iteration of this show at the New York Theater Workshop, I must admit to a sense of trepidation about how the show would fare in a larger Broadway house. Indeed, much of the show's charm is in its quietly drawing you in to care about the characters and rather simple story being told on stage. That is difficult to pull off on a larger Broadway stage. However, much to my surprise, on Broadway "Once" is even better. The actors have grown in their roles and interpersonal connections, the book by Edna Walsh holds up on a larger stage, the songs sound magnificent in the new venue (kudos to Clive Goodwin's impeccable sound design) and it all meshes nicely together. All in all, this is my favorite new Broadway musical in years, and it is by far the best musical playing on Broadway right now.
Finally, there is another new off-Broadway drama well worth a visit now playing at the Barrow St. Theater in the West Village, entitled TRIBES. "Tribes" is written by young British playwright Nina Raine and extremely well directed by the terrific David Cromer. "Tribes" takes on the well worn theme of exploring the "outsider" of a dysfunctional family unit, but the unique twist here is that the outsider in this case is the sole deaf member of the family (sensitively played with great attention to nuance by Russell Harvard). The acting and staging are precise and perfect, and it is hard to imagine a finer production of this play. While the play itself is not quite as good as another off-Broadway drama that I reported on in my last post ("The Big Meal" at Playwrights Horizons), the current existence of both fine dramas on New York stages is a hopeful sign for serious and engaging dramas by up and coming playwrights.
