(photo credit: Jeremy Daniel)
Please know that the above title of this new musical is not
a critique, but if it was it would be “Delirious.” “Disaster” is, however, a feverishly
daffy musical parody of the disaster movie genre that proved immensely popular
during the 1970s. It came as a surprise and will remain one of the season’s
delights. If “Disaster” has unwittingly left out (unless it is an invasion from
Mars) even one single horrifyingly calamitous event known to mankind, I cannot
think of it. What disasters have been included to enhance its wonderfully inane
story is enough.
Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick are the co-authors. Plotnick
has also directed to a fare-thee-well what is essentially a non-stop barrage of
tragi-comical incidents all of which are strung together with popular songs
from the Disco-intense 1970s, many of which are uncannily complimentary to the
action. No need to detail the plot, as it would spoil the fun.
But where would this loony lark be without a terrific cast
playing an endearingly diverse collection of characters who find themselves
struggling to stay alive as all hell and more breaks loose on an ill-fated,
floating gambling casino in New York harbor? Here’s just a hint. Can an
unscrupulous entrepreneur get away with ignoring safety codes while former lovers are reunited perhaps for the
last time? Can a Nun once addicted to gambling resist the pull of her past and
the one-arm bandit all the while a dotty diva tries to revitalize her past while
carting around her precocious twin children? And can a desperate woman keep her
husband from finding out that she is dying before her escalating symptoms (too
outrageous to mention) give her away? Oh, there are more victims and/or
survivors among a surprisingly large cast for a small-scaled musical.
But more importantly, how many will remain alive to celebrate
in an ingeniously funny rescue-by-helicopter finale, an eat-your-heart-out “Miss
Saigon” moment. If the slapdash floors and ceilings, cheesy walls and whatnots
that set designer Josh Iacovelli has created are not meant to survive, they are
as funny to observe while they remain in one piece as are the actors who careen
through them. The wonder of this show is that despite the characters being
stereotypical archetypes they all have dimensions that make us root for them.
Outstanding among the over-all splendid cast is the good-looking,
romantic leading man with a great voice Matt Farcher, the hilarious Jennifer
Simard as the obsessive/compulsive Nun, the incredibly versatile Jonah Verdon as
both brother and sister, and a sublimely funny Mary Testa as the valiant wife
with “issues.” Some cleverly operated puppets deserve kudos as do various body
parts that appear and disappear with aplomb. I don’t have the song list but the
score is comprised of classics that will undoubtedly bring smiles of
recognition to your face as will this company of superlative musical farceurs. What
a delightful disaster this turned out to be.
“Disaster”
St. Luke's Theatre, 308 W. 46th
Street
For tickets ($39.50 - $69.50) call 212/239-6200
$39.50-$69.50
$39.50-$69.50
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