Patrick Heusinger and Emma Busse (Photo by Jeff Lorch)
Reviewed by Keelyn McDermott
Old Globe Theatre, San Diego
Through Oct. 18.
Nick Walker (Photo by Jeff Lorch)
Jenna Clark Embry, Molly Beach Murphey, and Pat Monahan’s new musical at the Old Globe is like riding a rollercoaster you may enjoy but have ridden many times before. Based on the 2013 Indie film of the same name starring Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo, the story follows singer-songwriter Gretta (Emma Busse) and recently-fired-record-exec Dan (Matt Cusack) as they create an album following each of their own devastating breakups.
Walking into the theater was like joining an over-engineered theme park line that features newly installed interactive elements, leaving you wondering where the ride really begins. Upon entering the house, an open-mic night is already taking place on stage. This is where – as I learned from the post-show talkback – a different local San Diego musician is showcased each night. While being well-meaning, this device created by director Lorin Latarro makes for an awkward entry into the world of the actual musical. Following the open-mic pre-show entertainment, one of the show’s actresses then points out the emergency exits before welcoming us to the musical’s locale, New York City.
At the performance I attended, the lights faded abruptly and some members of the audience were left scrambling to their seats, confused by this breaking of norms.
But in Begin Again, like any great rollercoaster, the chaos of entering the ride is quickly replaced by a dazzling spectacle that grabs hold of all of your senses. Sleight-of-hand tricks (Illusion Designer Skylar Fox) have the appeal of being visually baffling, while David Bengali’s projection designs are seamlessly timed to transitions, all contributing to a visual feast. Like the loop-de-loop, the technical elements overshine the rest of the ride. Scenic Designer Derek McLane creates a breathtaking atmosphere honoring New York City’s centrality to the plot. Large transparent flats featuring architectural drawings of city buildings frame the stage. One particularly impressive moment is a transition to a rooftop, to which the set changes perspective: the backdrop dropping and water towers flying in.
Considerably less focus is given to the story. At one point, someone sitting behind me said aloud, “I think I know where this is going.” (Never a good sign.) I had to agree. Like a ride I’d been on before, not long after it began, I knew exactly where Jenna Clark Embrey and Molly Beach Murphy’s book was headed.
The shortcomings don’t stop with the plot. While the music by Pat Monahan is beautiful and expertly sung by Busse’s Gretta, Monahan’s lyrics lack subtlety. Like your mom going on the ride with you, at times I felt as if the show held audience members’ hands.
Begin Again is Broadway-bound and being put up in San Diego as an out-of-town tryout. The show can and might well be successful. How fine it would be if more attention to the story and the lyrics helped ensure that success.
The Old Globe Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego; runs thru October 18. Tickets. Two hours with one 15 minute intermission.
