Breaking it all down.
Three interrelated Off Broadway musicals are combined for what came to Broadway in the early 90's as a surprise hit and ran for over a year. The short-lived revival, a limited one, was equally critically-acclaimed, and as it took place past the era of AIDS, was nostalgic for those who survived that and educational for those who were not there. It's the story of a married man with a young son who leaves his wife for another man, how they get past this issue and how they all come together when the younger lover discovers he is hiv-positive.
The standouts for me are the married couple who are divorced yet now good friends, the husband played by the always excellent Christian Borle, lacking the eccentricity of the pirate in "Peter and the Starcatcher", Shakespeare in "Something Rotten" and immediately after this, Willy Wonka. Stephanie J. Block, her days as Liza and the pirate queen past her (and pre-Cher), gives a funny, intense performance as the neurotic but truly decent understanding wife who remains a nurturer to everyone around her, with a compassion growing for her husband's lover, Andrew Rannell as he faces the end. Her big breakdown number will have you crying and cheering at the same time.
As for Rannell, he's very good but the character is outrageously narcissistic and verbally abusive to Borle so it's difficult to completely sympathize with him prior to the tragic twist. What does ends up being that makes it really works is showing how families torn apart can still remain together and support each other even if infidelity was involved in the ending of a relationship. Brandon Uranowitz plays Borle's therapist who ends up with Block, even though it's obvious that she never stops loving him. Anthony Rosenthal, as son Jason, is hysterically funny as he shows that at first, he's the only non neurotic character in the play although that changes as he matures thanks to his parent's drama.
So it's about atonement and forgiveness and understanding and compassion, continuing in the second act with the addition of the lesbian neighbors who are very supportive while celebrating their happy relationship, remind game the audience that lesbians in the medical profession were the only ones who had the strength and caring too take care of AIDS patients and looking on their gay male friends. Even though they are only a minor part of Act II, they are very important because it shows how they deal realistically with a crisis while suffering quietly inside, shown through the tearjerking "Something Bad is Happening". There's plenty of comedy among the emotional twists,(particularly a Nancy Reagen punching bag) and turns which shows Rannell coming full circle as he begins to face the reality of what his life has been and where it is going. This is one to keep the handkerchiefs nearby because they will be absolutely necessary by the time Act II reaches its emotional high.
Three interrelated Off Broadway musicals are combined for what came to Broadway in the early 90's as a surprise hit and ran for over a year. The short-lived revival, a limited one, was equally critically-acclaimed, and as it took place past the era of AIDS, was nostalgic for those who survived that and educational for those who were not there. It's the story of a married man with a young son who leaves his wife for another man, how they get past this issue and how they all come together when the younger lover discovers he is hiv-positive.
The standouts for me are the married couple who are divorced yet now good friends, the husband played by the always excellent Christian Borle, lacking the eccentricity of the pirate in "Peter and the Starcatcher", Shakespeare in "Something Rotten" and immediately after this, Willy Wonka. Stephanie J. Block, her days as Liza and the pirate queen past her (and pre-Cher), gives a funny, intense performance as the neurotic but truly decent understanding wife who remains a nurturer to everyone around her, with a compassion growing for her husband's lover, Andrew Rannell as he faces the end. Her big breakdown number will have you crying and cheering at the same time.
As for Rannell, he's very good but the character is outrageously narcissistic and verbally abusive to Borle so it's difficult to completely sympathize with him prior to the tragic twist. What does ends up being that makes it really works is showing how families torn apart can still remain together and support each other even if infidelity was involved in the ending of a relationship. Brandon Uranowitz plays Borle's therapist who ends up with Block, even though it's obvious that she never stops loving him. Anthony Rosenthal, as son Jason, is hysterically funny as he shows that at first, he's the only non neurotic character in the play although that changes as he matures thanks to his parent's drama.
So it's about atonement and forgiveness and understanding and compassion, continuing in the second act with the addition of the lesbian neighbors who are very supportive while celebrating their happy relationship, remind game the audience that lesbians in the medical profession were the only ones who had the strength and caring too take care of AIDS patients and looking on their gay male friends. Even though they are only a minor part of Act II, they are very important because it shows how they deal realistically with a crisis while suffering quietly inside, shown through the tearjerking "Something Bad is Happening". There's plenty of comedy among the emotional twists,(particularly a Nancy Reagen punching bag) and turns which shows Rannell coming full circle as he begins to face the reality of what his life has been and where it is going. This is one to keep the handkerchiefs nearby because they will be absolutely necessary by the time Act II reaches its emotional high.
