By Dinah Alobeid
The oppressed masses, the evil monopolizing tyrant, the upbeat songs and the intricate dance steps … and the dilemma of having to pay to pee. All these elements truly give Urinetown the feel of an upbeat musical; it just happens to revolve around a dismal setting and theme.
The Lyric Stage Company’s theater in the YWCA on 140 Clarendon St., about a two-minute walk from the Back Bay T station, is small yet pleasant, and hosts an energetic cast.
Some actors sleep on the floor, while others dress as cops and walk through the aisles conversing with patrons before the show to lure attendees into the environment.
Director Spiro Veloudos explained during a Q’A session after a show Sunday that the pipes all over the walls in the first half of the seating area and the actors beginning their show a little early was intended to draw everyone into the play.
Urinetown is a Tony-award winning play which calls itself an “unhappy musical” and speaks to the audience’s inner depths (somewhere around the bladder). And it speaks to the audience literally – almost all of the narrator’s dialogue is directly to the audience.
At first, lines such as “Urinetown is a mythical, bad place filled with symbolism and things like that” seem out of place. The ambiance of a different setting is diminished, but most of the audience enjoyed it, laughing with all the jokes, puns and, of course, toilet talk.
The poor residents of a town in the near future have to actually pay to pee because the evil monopoly corporation, Urine Good Company (the wit never ends), has taken advantage of a water shortage by forcing citizens to pay to use public amenities.
The storyline is a familiar one – the oppressed masses need to fight back against unjust and greedy rule (in this case, the corporation owner). The play even has its own catchphrase, describing itself as “a love letter to the American theater in the form of a hand grenade.” Choreographer Ilyse Robbins includes throwbacks to different musicals such as Grease and Les Miserables as well as some inspiration from different choreographers including Bob Fosse.
“This was truly a labor of love for me,” Robbins said at the press screening Sunday. “Each piece of music said something different to me. ‘Snuff the Girl’ choreography was inspired by Jerome Robbins’ style and ‘We’re not sorry’ pays homage to the great Bob Fosse.”
The dancing is good – really good, in fact, considering the theater is what the Lyric Stage Company’s public relations representative called “cozy.”
The Lyric Stage only seats 240 people, so even those in the back row are right on top of the action, can hear every word of dialogue and don’t need to squint to see who’s speaking. For those who happen to get a front row seat, the pleading public amenity patrons and overly enthusiastic cops will be acting in their lap.
Christopher Chew, playing Officer Lockstock, does a great job of portraying his character, getting the audience excited without overacting. However, some of the cast isn’t as skillful. Sean McGuirk, playing the evil tyrannical owner of UGC Caldwell B. Cladwell, overacts his lines and makes his part feel forced and unnatural.
Jennifer Ellis, who plays romantic lead Hope Caldwell, has an incredible voice. Paired along with male lead Bobby Strong (Rob Morrison), their harmonies were flawless.
Other standouts include the adorable Little Sally, played by Veronica J. Kuehn. Her memorable lines include jokes like “penny for a pee, sir,” and thoughtful moments such as when she discusses the meaning of Urinetown with her buddy Officer Lockstock.
Overall, the acting, vocal and dancing abilities of the entire 18-member cast is outstanding for a small theater company. Everyone involved – the cast, musicians and the director – appear to love what they are doing. And that comes through in the play.
The Lyric Stage Company has student rush tickets for only $10, which are made available half an hour before each show with a student ID.
There will be a special performance on Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. for college students only. The tickets for this show will cost $10 flat and can be bought in advance. For more information or to buy tickets call 617-437-7172.
