Something about musical theatre is inherently ridiculous. It has to do with the fact that, whenever you see people singing onstage, you can’t help but notice that you’re watching a performance. As Julien Silverman and Dane Stewart point out in their director’s note, there is a long-standing tradition of “self-reference and meta-drama” in classical theatre. [title of show] follows this tradition, using every opportunity to address the many clichés of musical theatre in humorous and often thought-provoking ways.
[title of show] (yes, that is the actual name of the show) is TNC Theatre’s first production of the year, and it’s also the first musical they have performed in over five years. A play within a play, the story follows two guys writing a musical, about two guys writing a musical, and their struggle to get it on Broadway. As a result, the play’s staging is minimal, with only four chairs for props and a keyboard for accompaniment (played by Sean Mayes), leaving little to distract the audience.
Of the four leads, Ben Harris’s performance (as Hunter as Ben) dominates the stage, although he is awkward during the moments he is not immersed in his role. Michael Grundland (as Jeff as Michael) is a more consistent singer and actor than Harris but often serves as a foil for Ben’s more exuberant performance.
Despite taking a backseat role in the performance, both female leads also deliver strong efforts. Bryna Weiss (as Heidi as Bryna) lacks vocal strength during some of her musical numbers, but she portrays her character with just the right mixture of confidence and timidity to seem realistic. Caitlyn Milot’s performance (as Susan as Caitlyn) can only be described as hilarious. Though fully aware how silly her character is, Milot generates the most laughs and carries the play’s comedy.
The show’s strongest feature is its use of meta-theatre to poke fun at traditional clichés. During one scene, Michael rolls his chair across the floor to Ben, who protests that they were supposed to be in different apartments at the time. Later, the action cuts when one of the other characters announces that “this scene feels too long.”
[title of show] is guilty of indulging in self-mockery at times. For example, during a dream sequence, the characters fly over an imaginary New York City, and Michael protests that this is a ridiculous scene to include in a musical. However, at other times the performance combines humour with some very astute observations.
The best song of the musical, “Die, Vampire, Die!” contains a fairly in-depth discussion of the various challenges represented by artistic inhibitions. In the song, vampires represent the problems Ben and Michael encountered while writing their musical, including some of the tropes and clichés they work to avoid. Later, the actors discuss another problem for artists: popular success. In the song “Nine People’s Favourite Thing” they sing, “I’d rather be nine people’s favourite thing than a hundred people’s ninth favourite thing.”
This seems to be the takeaway message of [title of show]. The musical makes few compromises in its commitment to a certain artistic vision, and TNC’s production holds true to that. The only serious problem with [title of show] is the way the action drags on in the second half, as the four actors try to bring their play to Broadway. Here the scenes and medleys lack cohesion and seem chaotic, failing to maintain the initial momentum and bring the musical to a concise ending. Despite this shortcoming, [title of show] is enjoyable for its humanity, uninhibited creativity, and demonstration that a musical doesn’t have to be predictable in order to be good.
[title of show] runs from October 27-30 in Morrice Hall. More information at tuesdaynightcafe.com.
