Starlight Excess

Courtesy the local Cultural Muse (Bj), I attended the touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express on Sunday afternoon. It's a show I'd never seen, and had only heard perhaps one song from (the title track).

Now I understand why I'd never seen it, and why my high school chorus teacher called it "Starlight Excess." At intermission, we commented with acquaintances that ALW was clearly on a mind-altering substance when composing this one. One member of the party agreed, adding, "and I don't want any of it, whatever it was." I had to keep reminding myself this was an early ALW show. It seemed like someone came to him and asked him to include anything hot and trendy at the time: roller derby, lasers, 3-D film, rap. Dan didn't go, which is probably good — he would have spent the first 15 minutes leaning over and asking me to explain what was going on. And I wouldn't have been able to. A part of me wonders why they continue to produce this show.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed myself. The performers did a credible job with the material they were given. The second act was vastly better than the first. And I always enjoy Broadway-showing with Bj. Fortunately, the Orlando season has two more shows I really want to see: The Producers and Mamma Mia! are yet to come.