Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The 2018 edition of INNER VOICES remains a unique and worthwhile musical theater sub-genre, despite being a mixed bag

• By drediman
• November 21, 2018
• No Comments

Rebecca Luker in Jeff Blumenkrantz’s “Scaffolding” at TBG Mainstage Theatre. Photo by Russ Rowland.

It’s always a fascinating treat to watch the biennial Off-Broadway mounting of Inner Voices at TBG’s Mainstage Theatre. These one-act solo musicals function like soliloquies set to music, a format that to me remains fascinating. They’re unique opportunities to catch super talented Broadway (or Broadway-caliber) performers take on musically ambitious and emotionally rich material in an intimate setting. Despite being a mixed but mostly good bag, the 2018 edition continues to prove that this sub-genre continues to be worthy of further exploration. The program was comprised of three 40-ish minute pieces, all sharing overarching subject matters of loneliness, the power of the imagination, and mental health.

The first, “Window Treatment” by Daniel Green (music) and Deborah Zoe Laufer (words), which starred an irrepressible Farrah Alvin, was no doubt the most entertaining and accessible of the three. I especially liked Mr. Green’s accomplished music, which was at once textured, varied, and cohesive. The piece tells the story of a manic doctor who spends most of her free time spying on, obsessing over, and fabricating romantic relationships with neighbors across the street. Ms. Alvin was a quirky delight and in robust voice, attacking the score with power and precision.

The second, “The Costume” by Daniel Zaitchik, portrays a shy and fragile boy who acquires confidence when he’s asked to care for an injured bird. I found the piece somewhat uneven and lacking in tension and definition – the score, although perfectly lovely, failed to make a strong impression – but with definite moments of charm, thanks largely to a perfectly-cast Finn Douglas (despite sounding under the weather).

The final piece, “Scaffolding”, was written by Jeff Blumenkrantz and directed by Tony-winning actress Victoria Clark; it also featured Broadway veteran Rebecca Luker. The work depicts an over-protective mother whose relationship with her son takes a turn. Although Ms. Luker’s soprano doesn’t quite have the richness that it had a decade or two ago (she still sounded fabulous), she’s developed nicely as a more compelling and interesting actress from the days when all she did were ingenue roles. Her performance in “Scaffolding” was powerful and poignant, doing full justice to Mr. Blumenkrantz’s emotionally-resonant work, the most fully-realized and least sketch-like of the bunch.

RECOMMENDED

INNER VOICES
Off-Broadway, Musical
TBG Mainstage Theater
2 hours, 20 minutes (with one intermission)
Closed