The Jon Blog

Three Things

There are three, count 'em, three, things that make The Boy From Oz worthwhile:

1: Isabel Keating channeling Judy Garland
2: Hugh Jackman taking his shirt off
3: Hugh Jackman kissing Jarod Emick live onstage

Other than that, well, I didn't see the point.

One reason is that I am sick and tired of "new musicals" where there is not a single original song which was written specifically for the show. The three songs you will most remember from this evening of theatre are:

1: "Arthur's Theme" (The Moon and New York City) - as a duet between Liza Minelli (Stephanie Blcok) and Peter Allen (Jackman)
2: "Don't Cry Out Loud" (remember Miss Melissa Manchester?) sung by Peter Allen's Mother, played by Beth Fowler (well, it explains why he keeps any feelings inside himself, except his incessant desire for flouncy jazz hands)
3: "I Honestly Love You" (remember Olivia Newtown John?) which Greg (Jarod Emick), Peter's lover, sings to him in an all-white costume after having died of AIDS.

Really, the only time the show is fun, aside from when Isabel sings as Judy, is the final number: "I Go To Rio." Which is so over the top and cheesy, and is the first time that there's any dimensional scenery onstage: a full stage, light-up staircase made of giant piano keys.

How gay is that?

Posted by Jon at September 25, 2003 01:29 PM | TrackBack