Review: ‘The Lonely Few’ musical rocks Geffen Playhouse

The intimate Audrey Skirball Kenneth Theater at the Geffen Playhouse has been transformed into a dive bar for the world premiere of the musical Lonely Few. Tables and chairs are set up in the play area, immersing some audience members in the raucous and drunken atmosphere of Kentucky Roadhouse.

The Lonely Few is the name of the band playing at Paul’s Juke Joint. Frontwoman Lila (Lauren Patten), who works as a clerk at the local Save-a-Lot by day, is too talented to be confined to this backwater. But she feels she can’t leave her brother Adam (Joshua Close).

Lila and Adam have taken care of each other since their mother died. Lila has big dreams, but she values ​​her loyalty above her success. To keep her sanity, she vents the gig’s pent-up frustrations. Her blistering guitar playing, powerful vocals, and introspective songwriting ignite her everyday monotony with Dionysian flames.

At that time, a special guest appeared at the bar. Black singer-songwriter Amy (Ciara Rennie), who is trying out her solo career, finds her ex-stepfather and owner, but also Lonely Few drummer Paul (Thomas Renee) one night. Silcot) appeared at the invitation. Amy quickly realizes that Lila is no ordinary singer. She also sees that they have something in common as an intolerant southern lesbian her rocker.

Featuring a book by Rachel Bonds and a score by Zoe Cernak, this musical puts love stories into a meteoric focus. Clinging to their cultural roots but alienated by the conservative values ​​of their community, her two women hold each other’s answers to problems hitherto deemed insurmountable. increase.

Desperate for freedom, Lila needs a way out. Hungry to belong, Amy needs a way to get in. And the alienation of being queer only exacerbates the impediment to a possible happy ending for these characters.

Stage actors are often asked to play famous rock stars in jukebox musicals that rely on the audience’s affection for popular music catalogs. In “The Lonely Few,” her members of the cast earn rock and roll stripes.

There is no cover band medley of old hits to lure a restless audience, so performers have to cast a glowing spell as they jam. Imaginatively taking advantage of the unguarded corners of the second stage of the Geffen Playhouse, Sybil on his Wickersheimer set, Tripp, fluidly directed by Kalman and Eleanor Scott, this piece is fortunately his two A talented singer takes the lead.

Patten won a Tony Award for her featured performance in Alanis Morissette and Diablo Cody’s musical Jagged Little Pill. (The role was the subject of some controversy related to the production’s handling of Patten’s character’s gender identity.) Lila’s musical style is eclectic, combining the whimsical emotionalism of Morissette’s music with Melissa’s. Her Etheridge classics blend with her rock authority. Patten strikes the perfect balance between Broadway virtuosity and roadhouse authenticity.

Renée has amazing vocal agility that can sweep from low to high register. Her singing is almost too good, but she plays a famous recording artist whose stardom would have been greater if it weren’t for the intolerance of society. Gives Amy a melancholy glow.

The entire cast is excellent, each role etched with a charming idiosyncrasy. As Adam, Close respects Lila’s disarming generosity which makes it very difficult for her to abandon her brother. and Amy delve into the intricacies of their history, this sincerity comes to the fore.

Helen J Shen plays precocious 17-year-old keyboard player JJ in Lonely Few, highlighting the character’s quirky ambitions without losing sight of the supernatural sensitivity of a young man. As Dylan, Lila’s bandmate, buddy, and booster, Damon Downno (who was Tony-nominated for his performance as Curly in the revival of Daniel Fish’s “Oklahoma!”) is set for big time. Creates a silly charm that makes you want to hitchhike a vehicle. He knows he has to leave home soon and face his responsibilities at home.

Vibrant singing, inventive staging, and engaging acting can’t quite cover the musical’s main problem: choppy storytelling. No. Oddly enough, for a modern musical about a lesbian couple, the script recalls the sentimental tactics of earlier, more conventional times. (Playwright William Inge’s characters, desperate to find a connection amidst rural disadvantage, have a surprising amount in common with the “lone minority” gang.)

Lauren Patten and Joshua Close play brothers in ‘The Lonely Few,’ directed by Tripp Cullman and Eleanor Scott.

(Jeff Roach/Geffen Playhouse)

But the problem is not only in books. What is out of sync is the relationship between the drama and the music.

Sarnak’s lyrics are often drowned out by the volume of the work, frustrating those who expect the musical’s songs to move the narrative forward. But not all audible lyrics shed meaningful light on the characters, and some create leaps of action that seem never fully earned.

As a result, the rhythm of the show is thrown off course. The song is of lyrical interest in the second act, but the storytelling drags on, especially in the protracted final stretch. “Wondering” brilliantly exposes Amy’s vulnerability, and “Always Wait for You” is a moving portrayal of Lyra’s romantic realization, but the psychological background and theatrical development of these numbers has a lot to offer. Some adjustments may be required.

“The Lonely Few” screams for clarity and compression. But it’s a fascinating new musical with untapped potential. A love story, even a queer story, can’t help but be a little dated at its core. But it still has originality to discover.