What I liked
The individual song choices flattered the characters immensely, which gave me a strong understanding of who they were. The relationships on stage were solid which came forth from the strong acting choices made by the cast. Even though they performed in an intimate black box theater, they were able to take me away and make me feel like I was in outer space. The physicality on stage was strong and wonderfully enhanced by the pianist. A great way of opening up the stage and making it bigger than the actual size with a comedic feel to it. The two lead cast members had a wonderful chemistry and presence on stage which I truly enjoyed watching. The entire musical played out so “easy” and spontaneous, that at times I felt like I was watching an improv show. A big asset in the musical was the subtle but strong presence of the lighting used on stage!
What I didn't like
I would recommend a longer pause when the audience is laughing. Quite often I’d lost the first sentence after the audience laughed.
Other than the above I have two directing choices that I personally would have found more interesting.
This will spoil the end for you if you haven’t seen the show***
1. It might be a stronger choice to end the entire musical with the explosion and not have a final song after the explosion. I think it might leave a bigger “awe” with the audience than it does now.
2. Instead of “Trump” being Ann Coulter, what about having Melania being the master brain behind all of this?
Just some food for thought.
My overall impression
Absolutely loved this! A great contemporary piece including the latest topics in politics. Strong vocals and an even stronger instrumental guidance made for the perfect musical.
