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Regional Reviews: New Jersey tick, tick... BOOM! Features Jonathan Larson in the Years Before He Wrote Rent Also see Bob's reviews of The Whipping Man, Sizwe Banzi is Dead and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Between 1989 and 1993, Larson wrote and briefly performed at various Manhattan venues, several versions of a "rock monologue" under the titles of 30/90 and Boho Days. Working from five extant versions of this work, playwright David Auburn (Proof) reworked Larson's monologue into tick, tick... BOOM!, a musical for three actors. Taking credit only as script consultant, Auburn has carefully preserved Larson's original materials. Larson's autobiographical musical deals with the anxiety of Johnny, an aspiring theatre composer. It is 1990 and, as he comes face to face with his 30 birthday without yet having had any success, Johnny repeatedly hears within his head a series of "ticks" which are followed by the distant sound of an explosion. He questions the sense of his hand to mouth existence in a rundown flat on the bohemian edge of New York's soon to be gentrified SoHo district. His siblings are already on the road to success in traditional occupations, his best friend Michael is enjoying newly found financial success in market research, and his dancer girlfriend (who actually supports herself by given dance lessons to "rich and talentless" young girls) Susan wants to get married and leave the poverty of their life to take a job on Cape Cod. The musical also covers the workshop of Larson's futuristic outer space rock musical Superbia, which failed to draw any interest from potential producers. It has been posited that Superbia was too large for small theatres and too esoteric for Broadway. In any event, one result of the failed workshop was that Larson turned his attention to his rock monologue. Nicholas Parks imbues Jonathan with a jocular critical eye and nervous energy to burn. His clear and supple vocals are always on target. Shannon O'Boyle lends solid support playing Jonathan's girlfriend Susan and a number of other roles. Actually, her strongest vocal is the ballad "Come to Your Senses" which she sings in the role of Clarissa, an actress in the Superbia workshop who is more a soul mate for Jonathan than Susan; and her funniest role is her satirical version of Jonathan's agent, Rosa. Michael Luwoye is always winning as Michael, Jonathan's best friend, whose situation underlines a particular situation which made 1990 a time of great anxiety for young people. Luwoye also plays several other roles, drawing solid humor from the roles of Jonathan's father, and, in one scene, the aforementioned Rosa. Ivor Goldin has elicited solid performances from his cast and keeps everything moving at a brisk pace. There is a palpable lack of visual focus to the proceedings which seems to result from Bethanie Wampol's large, sparse, open set which makes us uncertain of specific layouts and locations. There is a series of small graffiti laden wall segments, and a couple of large stage trolleys, work tables and folding chairs scattered about. For example, after the opening, there is never a sense of Jonathan's studio apartment or his central work station to anchor his location. The on-stage four piece orchestra is spread out far, far upstage diluting both the visual and musical focus. Despite the anxieties on display, tick, tick... BOOM! is a youthfully alive, fun musical. Its eclectic, easily accessible rock oriented score features ballads, a country-western novelty song, a Latin dance melody, rap, and calypso. There is even an hilarious parody version of a Stephen Sondheim classic in which Johnny arranges the patrons, tables and food to create a picture of "a small, Soho café" on an "ordinary Sunday." Nicholas Park shines performing this delightful number. Obviously, Stephen Sondheim approves, for he has recorded a warm, brief segment for this musical which affirms his reputation as a mentor to young composers. The powerful "No More," strongly sung by Luwoye an Park, will bring back strong memories of Rent. Yet, tick, tick... BOOM! is a sweet, gentle show which lacks the brutal realities and sexuality that helped make Rent so powerful. tick, tick... BOOM! is a musical that has strong appeal across generations and political and social ideologies. It is a fun and friendly musical for family and friends of all ages and ideologies. tick, tick... BOOM! continues performances (Evenings: Thursday - Saturday 8 PM; Sunday 7 PM/ Matinee: Sunday 3 PM) through February 8, 2015 at American Theater Group at Hamilton Stage, 360 Hamilton Street, Rahway; online: ucpac.org ; Box Office: 732-499-8226 tick, tick... BOOM! book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson; directed by Igor Goldin Cast |
