It’s A Privilege To See
Urinetown: The Musical
The Lyric Stage Boston
140 Clarendon Street, Boston
Through October 20
Reviewed By Bobby Franklin
Photos By Nile Hawver
Urinetown: The Musical was an unlikely hit when it first appeared at the New York International Fringe Festival in 2001. Not only did it have, as the character Little Sally says, an awful title, it had been scheduled to move from Off-Broadway to Broadway just nine days after the attacks of 9/11. Many plays had folded or been canceled before opening when the theaters had to shut down due to that horrific attack.
Not only did Urinetown: The Musical open, it became a huge hit running for 965 performances and garnering three Tony Awards. It has worn well with time, though the lens through which it is seen has changed. Given that, it’s still a play that makes you both laugh and think.
The current run at the Lyric Stage in Boston is in keeping with that theater’s long standing success in bringing large scale productions to a small stage. As has been so often the case, the Lyric team often improves on the work while adding an intimacy that can only take place in a small theater. Urinetown: The Musical is no exception.
Director Courtney O’Connor, along with musical director Dan Rodriguez and choreographer Christopher Shin have worked their magic, along with some wonderful ingenuity, to give Boston a musical that is not to be missed.
“Not only funny, but highly entertaining and quite clever.”
So, what do you call a play with that awful title, that includes suffering, unbridled greed, government corruption, police brutality, and people struggling to come up with cash so they can use the public facilities to relieve themselves? Funny! Not only funny, but highly entertaining and quite clever. It is also not what it may appear to be at first.
The people of an unnamed city are suffering under the heavy hand of Caldwell B. Cladwell (Christopher Chew), the head of Urine Good Company, a corporation that controls the limited water supply. Because of the water shortage, people are forced to pay large fees for The Privilege To Pee.
Chew is terrific in portraying the greedy Cladwell with a caricature that both conveys the joy he brings in making money off of the misery of others while treading a line of making him almost likable. This comes across in Don’t Be The Bunny where Cladwell tries to teach his daughter Hope (Elliana Karris) how to make it in the world.
Bobby Strong (Kenny Lee) works at the public facility under the watchful eye of Penelope Pennywise (Lisa Yuen). It is a dirty job but has its privileges, if you get what I mean. Ms Yuen’s Pennywise sets down the law with an iron fist in “It’s A Privilege To Pee”. You’d better have your money when it’s time for you to use the public facility or you will be sent to Urinetown, a place from where no soul returns.
Bobby begins to question his work when his father (Remo Airaldi) is sent to Urinetown as punishment for breaking the anti public peeing laws. It is upon learning of the elder Strong’s gruesome demise that Bobby is pushed over the edge and is compelled to stand up to the powers that pee, I mean be.
“Mr. Lee commands the stage in his role as Strong. His singing is sublime and his comic timing impeccable.”
Strong and Hope Cladwell fall in love while singing Follow Your Heart. Mr. Lee brings down the house while leading the cast in the gospel inspired Run Freedom Run. Both numbers bring laughs while also touching a deeper chord. Mr. Lee commands the stage in his role as Strong. His singing is sublime and his comic timing impeccable.
Elliana Karris is amazing in her ability to bring huge laughs using just her eyes. This was necessary in one scene because her character was bound and gagged while being held hostage. Yes, I’m not kidding, it really is a funny play.
While Kenny Lee is a powerful force on the Lyric Stage, the rest of the cast is solid as well. There is not a weak performance among them. Lisa Yuen is commanding as Miss Pennywise. Paige O’Connor and Anthony Pires, Jr. as Little Sally and Officer Lockstock respectively serve as chorus in addition to their roles within the story. They are hilarious as they have constant back and forth about what makes a good musical. “You don’t want too much exposition.” Ms O’Connor is clearly in her element as Sally, while Mr. Pires can be scary as the heavy handed Lockstock, yet you can’t help but like him.
Urinetown: The Musical is both social commentary and satire. You will catch many take offs on musicals past, most notably Les Miz. There are also touches of Brecht and even William Shakespeare. Add into the mix that it is an ambiguous work as well.
Throughout the first act the story seems to be a pretty formulaic one of evil corporations exploiting the helpless people of the city. However, as the story progresses we find it is more complicated than that. The challenge of dealing with a shortage of natural resources coupled with government corruption makes me think of how so many make sure a crisis should never go to waste. In fact, a crisis, when properly exploited, can be quite profitable for many.
In the twenty plus years since it has first appeared, trillions of dollars have been spent on dealing with climate change making billions of dollars for the well connected both in and out of politics. Has this solved the problem? As seen now, I believe that question can be one of the take aways from this musical. What at first glance was a fairly simple story really leaves the audience with much to ponder. It is not preachy, but rather provoking.
“Get to the Lyric Stage before it’s too late.”
Most importantly, Urinetown: The Musical is great fun. You will leave the theater humming the tunes you have heard as well as feeling connected to the characters. It’s a rare feat to portray not one, but two executions in a way that has the audience breaking into side-splitting laughter, but it happens here. What a terrific musical! Get to the Lyric Stage before it’s too late. You won’t be disappointed. And don’t worry, there won’t be too much exposition. Little Sally promises that to you.
Urinetown: The Musical
At The Lyric Stage, 140 Clarendon Street, Boston
Through October 20
617.585.5678
www.lyricstage.com