[NEohioPAL] Berko review: JERRY SPRING THE OPERA @ Beck Center

[Roy Berko]

JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA incites reaction  at Beck

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--
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--COOLCLEVELAND.COM-

Operas are noted for making epics of slight stories, and are often staged with 
great bravado and enormous pomp.  This fits what's going on at the Beck Center. 
 

The award winning JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA is on stage in the facility's Studio 
Theatre.  Outside, on opening night, members of America Needs Fatima, an 
action-oriented Catholic group which protests against works it views as 
blasphemous, were trying to dissuade theatre-goers to forsake the show.  

Why the picketing?  As one of the protestors, who hadn't seen the play stated, 
“The show is profane.”  It might be if anyone could agree on what the abstract 
word “profane” means.  That minor point aside, the protest seems to have 
backfired.  Instead of discouraging attendance, the publicity has insured a 
sold-out first three weeks and the strong possibility of the show's extension.  

As Beck's Artistic Director, Scott Spence, summarized it, “We have the right to 
express ourselves.  They have the right to picket.”  And, he could have added, 
“Thanks, we couldn't have bought better or more publicity!”

So, what's all the shouting about? JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA is a British musical 
written by Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee.  It is a fictional depiction of 
Springer's TV show, which sensationalizes society's extremes and misfits.  Such 
subjects as cheating lovers, overdone plastic surgery, adults wearing diapers, 
and cross dressing are displayed through such devices as wrestling women and a 
troupe of tap-dancing Ku Klux Klan members. Oh, and yes, there is an archangel, 
the devil, Adam and Eve, Jesus (oh, my!). 

It's an opera because the story line is almost all sung and everything is bigger 
than life.  Actually, it's bigger than bigger than life.  This is a farce, it is 
a parody, and, for those with a sense of humor and who don't take life overly 
seriously, it can be fun.  

The show ran for 609 performances in London and then toured the UK.  It won four 
Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical.  And, yes, even in the UK 
there were pickets and protests!  (Gee, there appear to be zealots around the 
world who think it is their duty to influence the way everyone should think and 
act.) 

In the US, the show has been performed in Las Vegas and at Carnegie Hall in New 
York.  And, yes, there were pickets there as well.  It has now moved on to 
productions at small professional theatres, along with the expected “Honk for 
Jesus” sign wavers.

Beck's production doesn't light up the stage.  As with any director of farcical 
satire, director Scott Spence had to make a vital decision…do the play as 
extreme exaggeration or make it so serious that it becomes outrageous on its 
own.  He decided to take the middle ground, thus losing much of the 
ridiculousness, and resulting in a slowly paced, overly long show.  There are 
some very funny parts, but, as a whole, much of the production is emotionally 
flat. 

The cast, with a few exceptions, have excellent singing voices.  Diana Farrell, 
a trained opera singer, hits all the high notes as the adorable Baby Jane.  
Darryl Lewis, in the dual role of the diaper-wearing Jesus and Montel, sings 
well, and generally hits the characterizations.  Ryan Bergeron is a hoot as 
Tremont, a cross dresser whose tube top keeps falling down and the Archangel 
Gabriel (yes, he also appears).  Gilgamesh Taggett is the devil incarnate as 
Satan (boo!).  Lissy Gulick, who is creationing a career of playing eccentric 
old ladies, makes for a delightful purse swinging mother of a wanna-be pole 
dancer.  Joanna May Hunkins has pitch problems as Shawntel and Eve.   Mathew 
Wright's talent was basically wasted as Springer, who doesn't sing or dance in 
the show, mainly playing straight man to the drama queens.

Probably the funniest segment of the evening was Satan and Jesus's duet, F*** 
You Talk in which the only word, in what is about five minutes of constant 
singing, was the repetition of the F word.

Bryan Bird's orchestra sounded fine, supporting rather than drowning out the 
singers, but the vocal blendings were often off.  Martin Céspedes' choreography 
was creative, but, unfortunately, due to the postage stamp-sized stage, tons of 
set pieces, and some uncoordinated cast members, didn't always work.  The 
movement highlights were in the action curtain call.

Trad Bruns' scenic and lighting designs worked well, as did Jenniver Sparano's 
costumes and Jerry Sgro’s visual graphics.
  
CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  Beck's JERRY SPRINGER, THE OPERA, is a less than exciting 
production which will appeal to a nitch audience.  Hopefully, as the show runs, 
and it should have a long run due to the publicity garnered by the ill- focused 
pickets, the cast will let loose and have more fun, which will result in the 
anticipated gales of laughter.

JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA is scheduled to run through March 27 at Beck Center for 
the Arts.  For tickets and information on the possibility of the run being 
extended, call 216-521-2540.    
Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 
2011, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at 
http://royberko.info.  His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com 
and www.NeOHIOpal