The Mad Ones, a sweet but rambling musical, has opened in the Studio at The Other Palace.
The small theatre is overfilled with half a car and a background of broken mirror glass, with a constant stream of fog coming through the cracks. We know we are in for some tragedy right from the beginning. There will be death, and death by car.
Sam (a delightful Dora Gee) is trying to decide whether to follow in her statistician mother’s footsteps (a hilarious Thea Jo Wolfe) and go to Harvard or answer the call of Kerouac’s Road and the free-reeling life of her best friend, Kelly (a luminous Courtney Stapleton). Over the course of her senior year, Sam tries to get her driver’s licence, lose her virginity, and figure out who she is and what she wants to do – oh, and deal with the death of Kelly, who is hit by a car.
There is no doubt that Kait Kerrigan and Bree Lowdermilk are excellent songwriters – each song has originality, vibe, and loads for this cast of exceptional performers to dig into. Where they fall short is structure. The narrative meanders, and it’s hard to hold onto any feeling. The direct address to the audience comes in and out, and we flip in and out of memory and time. There are also unclear storylines. Is Sam in love with Kelly? There is a suggestion that she might be, but then she’s also desperately trying to have sex with Adam (a sweet Gabriel Hinchliffe). It’s confusing, and the musical ends with three big anthems, almost like a record skipping.
Based on its production history, this musical has been kicking around since 2009, and it feels overdeveloped. A clearer framework and some judicious paring down would allow it to shine brighter – and be a tight ninety minutes instead of two-plus hours. The set is cumbersome and doesn’t give the cast much opportunity to do more than pace, or sit and drive. At one point, the car becomes Adam’s bedroom, but that’s the only time it morphs, and it’s awkward and busy. The broken mirror distractingly reflects the audience and the conductor.
That being said, the performers are breathtaking and incredibly invested in their characters’ stories. Thea Jo Wolfe brings heart, humour, and worry to the stage as Beverly, especially in the song I Know My Girl. Dora Gee as Sam is wholesome and bright, wrestling with her inner life. Courtney Stapleton fills the room like a popstar as Kelly, and Gabriel Hinchliffe brings a sweet earnestness to an underwritten Adam.
For all its imperfections, it’s a wistful night at the theatre, full of longing and yearning. Go to listen to the catchy tunes and the incredible voices. And make a note of these performers – you’ll want to see whatever they do next.
The Mad Ones runs at The Other Palace Studio through 1 June. For tickets go to theatreticketsdirect.co.uk
Words by Rachel Fowler
Photography Perro Loco Productions
