Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice: The Musical
Reviewed by Socks Whitmore
Pantages Theatre
Through July 30
RECOMMENDED
Spooky season has come early to the Hollywood Pantages, where supernatural shenanigans are taking the stage. Welcome to the show about death: Beetlejuice the Musical (The Musical, The Musical…), a toe-tapping reimagining of Tim Burton’s 1988 cult classic. The original story centers on Adam and Barbara Meitland, a recently deceased couple attempting to exorcise the living from their haunted home. In the musical, the cast of characters are the same in name, but the story gets a total makeover — and in this reviewer’s opinion, a total upgrade.
From the moment he appears, the titular demon Beetlejuice acts as a cheeky, sneaky, unapologetically fourth wall-breaking narrator that seems to pull all the strings. He even points out the first “bold departure” from the source material; the story begins with the funeral of Emily Deetz, who in this version is the late mother of the true protagonist, Lydia Deetz. Lydia’s grief drives her to dress in black and obsess over death, spurning her father Charles and her life coach Delia, who secretly doubles as her father’s rebound relationship. The three take up residence in the previously occupied home of the Meitlands, where the ghosts of Adam and Barbara reside after their sudden deaths. Beetlejuice, who is unable to be seen by the living until someone says his name three times, hides the couple’s Handbook for the Recently Deceased to trap them on the mortal plane with him and prevent them from passing on to the Netherworld. As the clairvoyant Lydia befriends the undead in her abode, a new mission takes hold of her: to make contact with the spirit of her dead mom.
Though the original film is a fun horror comedy in its own right, the musical puts the “laugh” in “die laughing.” The character of Beetlejuice (Justin Collette) gets a delightful makeover, transformed from sleazy creep to a meta, pansexual un-Deadpool anti-hero. In particular, the portrayal of his sexual perversion is much improved; he’s less a vile misogynistic predator and instead achieves a more PC, even fruity comedic flavor. Collette as the self-proclaimed Zombie Jesus displays impressive vocal versatility, not to mention mental dexterity as he performs while executing a variety of practical special effects. The impressive array of FX brings a physical humor that is a distinct nod to the style of the 80s movie, such as tertiary limb puppets wearing Beetlejuice’s iconic stripes. Blocking and choreography are also used auspiciously (save for a few moments of constrained or repetitive dance moves), reinforcing the kooky chaos with an array of fantastical tricks.
The greater cast of reimagined characters is also far more distinct and memorable than the original. Adam (Will Burton) and Barbara (Britney Coleman) are introduced as oblivious and viciously mediocre lovers who never got to have a kid, laying the foundation for meaningful character growth and a lasting relationship with Lydia. Otho (Abe Goldfarb) is given a charlatan guru role with Scooby Doo energy, a far more interesting part than the bland undefined character from 1988. In particular, the transformation of Delia (Kate Marilley), from a dispassionate sculptor into an “uwu” triangle-toting life coach, is an extremely successful choice, creating the perfect playground for Marilley’s over-the-top characterizations and comical synchronicity with Charles (Jesse Sharp). The ensemble and cameo roles are also rich with delightfully undead costumes and captivating vocal performances — hats off to the Girl Scout (Jackera Davis) and Miss Argentina (Danielle Marie Gonzalez) for being one-scene show stealers! Whether you’re a diehard Tim Burton fan or you just want to get spooky this summer, Beetlejuice: The Musical is a gut-busting good time.
Pantages Theatre, Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Tues.-Sat., 8 pm, Sat., 2 pm, Sun., pm & 6:30 pm; thru July 30. https://www.ticketmaster.com/beetlejuice-touring-tickets/artist/2867362?venueId=90160
