Hucksterland the Musical

Postcard Review by Caroline Russell-King

SHOW – HUCKSTERLAND THE MUSICAL

PLAYWRIGHT – BOOK BY CALEIGH CROW, MUSIC AND LYRICS BY SACHA CROW & GUS RENDELL

PRODUCTION COMPANY/THEATRE SPACE – CO-PRODUCED BY CHROMATIC & THUMBS UP GOOD WORK THEATRE, ONE YELLOW RABBIT, HIGH PERFORMANCE RODEO / ALEXANDRA CENTRE CONCERT HALL

LENGTH – 1 ACT (1 HOUR, 55 MINS, NO INTERMISSION!)

GENRE/S – MUSICAL TRAGEDY

PREMISE – A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT MOGUL/SLUMLORD WHO HAS THE MAYOR IN HIS POCKET FINDS OUT HE IS BEING INVESTIGATED FOR FRAUD AND THINGS GET WORSE WHEN ONE OF HIS PROPERTIES GOES UP IN FLAMES KILLING HIS TENANTS.

WHY THIS PLAY? WHY NOW? –  ISSUES OF GENTRIFICATION, SUBSTANDARD LIVING ACCOMMODATIONS, FRAUD, BRIBERY, AND CORRUPTION ARE (SADLY) ALWAYS CURRENT.

CURIOSITIES – IF YOU ARE HANDING OUT FREE EARPLUGS FOR ALL, ISN’T THIS A SIGN THAT THE MUSIC MIGHT BE TOO LOUD FOR THE VENUE?

NOTABLE MOMENT – THE APE DUET

NOTABLE WRITING – THE REALLY SMART THING THAT CROW DOES IS MAKE THE SLUMLORD AND ANTIHERO RATHER THAT A PROTAGONIST. THIS WORKS BEAUTIFULLY AND SIDESTEPS INEVITABLE STEREOTYPES, TROPES AND HEAVY HANDED MESSAGES. THIS PLAY HAS BEEN IN DEVELOPMENT FOR 6 YEARS AND IS WELL CRAFTED, (UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER SHOWS IN THE RODEO THAT LOOK LIKE THEY WERE THROWN TOGETHER IN A FEW HOURS!) I ONLY HEARD ABOUT 60% OF THE LYRICS BUT WHAT I HEARD WAS VERY GOOD. THE MUSIC NEEDS A BROADWAY NUMBER EARWORM; WE SHOULD LEAVE A MUSICAL WITH THE SIGNATURE NUMBER IN OUR HEAD.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES – EMANATING GREYBACK GORILLA ENERGY ON COCAINE, MIKE TAN GIVES THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS CAREER (TO DATE). HIS CHARACTER JORDAN JAMISON IS FULL ON FROM THE TIME THAT HE WAKES UP AFTER SPENDING THE NIGHT PASSED OUT ON A BENCH (THAT HAS HIS ADVERTISING ON IT) TO HIS INEVITABLE DOWNFALL (PARDON THE INADVERTENT PUN). EQUALLY AS CORRUPT IS THE MAYOR, PLAYED BY JOSH BERTWISTLE WHO HAS ELEMENTS EERILY FAMILIAR TO US DURING THE KLEIN YEARS. THE TWO TOGETHER PERFORM SOME COMEDY MAGIC. THE YANG TO THIS YIN ARE THE FEMALE CHARACTERS. TRYING TO STAY ZEN IS ADMIN ASSISTANT (SAFIA COMTOIS-MOHAMED) AND THE PROSECUTOR WITH INTEGRITY (MICHELLE THRUSH).  ALONG WITH COLIN WOLF, THIS SHOW IS BEAUTIFULLY CAST AND BALANCED.

NOTABLE DESIGN/PRODUCTION – THE IMAGES THAT ARE CONSTANTLY PROJECTED DON’T HAVE A COHESIVE AESTHETIC AND BECOME THE EQUIVALENT OF SCROLLING – BY DESIGN? HOWEVER, AJAY BADONI GIVES US A GREAT LIGHTING DESIGN. THE ONLY NEGATIVE IS THE HEADACHE INDUCING VOLUME OF THE MUSIC DROWNING OUT THE CAST.

NOTABLE DIRECTION – THERE IS NO CHOREOGRAPHER LISTED SO DEFACTO THIS IS THE DIRECTOR, CROW, WHO HAS FUN WITH THE NUMBERS.

ONE REASON TO SEE THIS SHOW – MIKE TAN.