Invincible

Reviewed by Taylor Kass
The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Through Dec. 18

 RECOMMENDED

In its world premiere production at The Wallis Annenberg directed by Tiffany Nichole Greene, Romeo and Juliet is told through the lens of another legendary duo: 80’s rock legend Pat Benatar and her husband and guitarist Neil Giraldo. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers have been making music together for decades, inspiring Invincible book writer Bradley Bredeweg to find parallels between their hit songs and the plot of Romeo and Juliet. While Benatar and Giraldo’s songs are excellently performed with the necessary dynamism to make this jukebox musical a hit, they don’t provide a new or necessary interpretation of Romeo and Juliet.

In Invincible’s dystopian Verona, Lords Capulet and Montague have both been killed in a civil war for control of the city, leaving Paris in charge. The Capulets have seized power and the Montagues are reduced to second class citizens protesting in the streets. There are so many alterations, both minor and major, to the original plot of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet that Invincible seems held back by its source material. Invincible compresses or skips over key moments in the story (like the lovers’ first encounter, the balcony scene, Romeo’s clash with Paris, and the final moments in the Capulet crypt) in favor of incorporating more songs. Ultimately, the book’s discordant blend of present-day language and Shakespeare’s original text clash with the show’s most engaging element – the show stopping musical numbers sung by a cast of incredible vocalists.

Khamary Rose and Kay Sibal as Romeo and Juliet respectively are pop-rock perfection, nailing Benatar’s signature belty sound while incorporating a musical theatre-style sweetness. Sibal in particular stands out in her ability to sing an incredibly demanding score while acting through every moment – a true accomplishment in a jukebox musical. In fact, the entire cast is stacked with some of the best singers one can find on an LA stage, creating an unforgettable and powerful wall of sound. Galen Hooks’ athletic yet precise choreography adds ‘80’s flair and keeps the energy high.

Benatar and Giraldo have been personally involved with Invincible since its inception – they actually sent a cease and desist to the first workshop (which conflicted with another theatre piece they were developing) before changing their minds and blessing the project. If anything, Invincible’s greatest weakness may be in its stellar and faithful execution of Benatar and Giraldo’s music – the show leans more toward concert than musical and has little in common with Romeo and Juliet except for its pair of star-crossed lovers. However, it’s so fun that even the most faithful Shakespeare fans will forgive.

Bram Goldsmith Theatre at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills; Tues. – Sun. 7:30 p.m.; Sat. – Sun. 7 p.m.; through Dec. 18. https://thewallis.org/love or 310.746.4000. Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes with no intermission.