What I liked
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What I didn't like
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My overall impression
Watching Songs of the Fall is a great way to remind yourself that some people are more talented and more courageous than you. As a creator, writer/producer/star Ben Boquist is fearless; he offers the audience his whole heart and the sum of his considerable talents. First and foremost, he is an impressive songwriter. The tune here are definitely hummable, and I could hear the lyrics landing as the audience responded to some of the more clever rhymes and turns of phrase. But then, Boquist is also fun to watch — both as the earnest, down-on-his-luck modern Adam, as well as the mythic Adam, who dauntlessly dives in to the future darkness of all mankind.
Compelling as Boquist is, this show wouldn’t work at all without Unati Mangaliso, Eve, who is infinitely lovely at every turn, and who made me cry, honestly. Jackee Bianchi is a stunning Lucifer with a hell of a voice (sorry, sorry, I know), and the three actors playing God — John Eddings, Whittney Rooks, and Kira Satori Rose — round out the cast with strength and humor. The dance numbers are well choreographed and give us keyhole into Boquist’s vision and the possible future of this show.
In fact, the one thing I wished is that I could be seeing this show in a larger theater, produced with a larger budget. This version of SotF was staged thoughtfully but minimally, and it never quite harnesses the fundamental spareness of Fringe to its advantage. The challenge of producing a show this ambitious on a scale this small is intimidating… which brings me back to Boquist’s courage. Songs of the Fall is a gift lovingly crafted by a powerful creator. Don’t miss it.
