Sometimes,
when I hear about yet another musical-based-on-a-movie or jukebox musical in
the works, when I have to squint to find an original score and story in the
best musical nominees at the Tony’s, I give thanks that there’s a show like Bat Boy in the world. One could argue that it’s not strictly a 100% original tale, since it
was inspired by an outlandish tabloid figure, but it’s still an excellent
example of the sheer variety and inventiveness that can be found in musical theatre, despite evidence to the contrary
in recent years.
The
short version: a feral creature,
half-human and half-bat, is discovered in a cave near a small West Virginia
town (I say “half-bat,” but really, it’s just the ears, the teeth, and the
pallor that comes from living in a cave.)
When he’s brought to the home of the local veterinarian, the vet’s wife
takes pity on him and insists that he stay with the family. She gives him a name, Edgar, and teaches him
speech and human culture. Though he
takes to all of it swimmingly, the townsfolk don’t take so well to him –
especially when he and the vet’s daughter Shelley start to fall for each
other. There’s bigotry, forbidden love,
identity crises, blood lust, and demands for the acknowledgement of
half-human/half-bat dignity, all wrapped in an outrageously humorous package.
I like
that the crazy premise is pretty much played entirely straight – yes, it’s a
hugely funny show, but much of the humor comes from committing to the insanity
of the piece. Despite ridiculous details,
like Edgar’s plummy British accent after he learns to speak from watching Masterpiece, or Shelly’s desire to be “inside”
Edgar’s heart in a less-metaphorical-than-usual way, none of it is a joke to
the characters. To them, it’s all deadly
serious, and sometimes, the show is as well.
Cheeky lyrics aside, Edgar’s songs convey a real sense of disenfranchisement
and an anguish at not understanding who he is or how he came to be. Most often, though, that solemnity in the
face of the absurd makes everything even more comedic. Right from the opening number, the ensemble
intones the goofy “Hold Me, Bat Boy” as if it’s “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd.”
Laurence
O’Keefe’s score is full of catchy, eclectic tunes, ranging from jaunty patter
ditties to modern Broadway pop-rock to soaring eleven o’clock numbers. I’m especially fond of the terrific Act I
closer “Comfort and Joy,” Edgar’s melodic plea to “Let Me Walk Among You,” and
the earbuggy “Children, Children.” The
score, and the show at large, plays slyly with the Broadway canon, throwing in
allusions and homages throughout. I
always appreciate when shows that are really fresh and different are still
clearly written with affection for musical theatre and all that came before.
Oh, and
this is a musical that commemorates Fellini, Machiavelli, and the Three Stooges
in a single number. Where else are you
gonna find that?
Warnings
Language,
B-movie-style violence, thematic elements, and sexual content (including an
implied sex scene.)
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