Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Stew’s THE TOTAL BENT at the Public is murky storytelling yet mightily entertaining

• By drediman
• May 27, 2016
• No Comments

Looking back, Stew and Heidi Rodewald’s Passing Strange was perhaps one of the more exciting achievements in musical theater over the the last decade. That coming-of-age musical was a rowdy and unconventional combination of musical theater and rock concert, the likes of which we haven’t quite seen since it blazed into New York, first at the Public before transferring to the Great White Way (where it was brilliantly captured by Spike Lee on film). Much of the credit must be given to Stew, whose quirky and refreshing storytelling – he wrote both the book and the lyrics – and big presence gave the show a level of authenticity that usually doesn’t find its way into musical theater storytelling, which typically relies on the tried-and-true formula (e.g., the big opening number, the “I want” song, and so forth).

It was therefore with great excitement that I approached Stew and Ms. Rodewald’s latest collaboration The Total Bent, which like its predecessor is premiering at the red-hot Public Theater. Their new Civil Rights-era musical tells the tug-of-war story between a talented young songwriter and his father,  a gospel-singing preacher. As the tension between them escalates and they flex into their destined roles, the musical landscape evolves into a sound we now know as funk. Indeed, the last thirty minutes of the show is an ecstatic display of driving funk prowess, as both written and performed. Unfortunately, Stew’s book and lyrics are decidedly convoluted, and downright murky at times. As a result – and despite the admittedly rousing musical pyrotechnics – it was hard to feel a true emotional connection to the characters onstage.

The production, as directed by Joanna Settle, has a casual jam session feel (the sets are by Andrew Lieberman and the lighting is by Thom Weaver), which feels just right for the show. The performances are all superlative. As the songwriter Marty Roty, Ato Blankson-Wood is giving a show-stopping performance of both force and grace. It’s a real thrill to track his painful evolution into a funk god. As his preacher father Joe Roy, Vondie Kurtis Hall is excellent; he’s charismatic, sexy, and croons with the best of them. They’re given great, off-beat support by David Cale, who plays a slippery yet jovial British producer who helps Marty get off the ground.

RECOMMENDED

THE TOTAL BENT
Off-Broadway, Musical
The Public Theater
1 hour, 50 minutes (without an intermission)
Through June 19