Review by anonymous
June 21, 2024 certified reviewerWhat I liked
The musicians were all quite talented. In particular, the conductor had a fine sense of rhythm, the keyboardist was expressive, and the singers were soulful. The violin added a classy touch.
The actors gave compelling performances, giving life to the personas surrounding the central character. I especially liked the parents and the friend who gave him sage advice near the end.
What I didn't like
It was hard to hear dialogue over the backing music at times, but the emotional context remained clear. While many great performances were scattered throughout the show, some editing would have improved the unity of the musical as a whole.
The women tended to be a bit more two dimensional, coming off as ciphers more than real people. This can be challenging for male writers, especially ones that haven’t spent the time to introspect on the women’s agency. Perhaps this was on purpose though, in which case I’ll accept it as an artistic choice.
My overall impression
A heartfelt attempt to depict an existential crisis.
