The Story of My Life is only one of three original musicals to arrive on the great white way this season (both [title of show] and 13 opened and subsequently closed shortly after). I can't say where it stands against the other two being that I never saw 13... I can however say that I think it lacked an unidentifiable something that [Title of Show] had. Please forgive me for not explaining the story however I feel like I shouldn’t explain too much of it being that most of the show revolves around one big spoiler that I think you should witness live.
Perhaps this unidentifiable something the show is missing is related to the score. Neil Bartram's score is very beautiful however; I could not help but be reminded of Sunday in the Park with George. Sunday comparison aside, I found the score to lack any surefire standouts and/or catchy melodies that I could hum to myself on the subway ride home. It’s certainly not a cast recording that I’m dying to see made, either (hello Tale of Two Cities… the concept recording is not enough). The orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick sounded wonderful but couldn't make the score any more memorable. The music was good enough to move to story along without being a distraction or being repetitive however there were a few moments where I wished they would wrap it up and move on to the next scene.
The set was quaint and actually worked very well with the story - it reflected the simplicity of the show as a whole. The lighting was a hot mess. I’m hoping that this was due to the fact that they’re in their preview period and that everything will be cleaned up by the opening. While on the subject of lighting- I found the transitions through time to be inconsistent... sometimes we hear this very Grapes of Wrath swoosh sound and then we come back to present day with a light change. Simple enough, right? Well… just when they’ve led you to believe that is in fact how these time changes are going to work they go back in time once again but this time without our corny swoosh – but this time with a light change. That’s quite fixable though so I’m not harping for hours on technical issues like I usually do.
I give Will Chase and Malcolm Gets all the credit in the world for carrying on the way they did. Both performances were heartfelt and vocally impressive. Both men are on the stage for the full 90 minutes and showed full commitment to each and every line. Both actors have their individual moments which are (thankfully) more memorable then the shows other elements. I have to say the standout (for me) was Malcolm Gets and I wanted so desperately to turn around and slug the Will Chase fan girls sitting behind me. (Warning: off-topic rant approaching) Honestly though, it never ceases the amaze me how rude people are… who in their right mind giggles, quotes RENT, talks the entire time, and then has the audacity to take photos at a performance? Granted I only paid for a student ticket but there are people all around you paid upwards of one hundred dollars to sit in those seats and in the words of Patti LuPone “How dare you! Who do you think you are?” – really. Rant complete- I could go on and on about how rude those girls were but it really isn’t worth the web space.
I would definitely recommend catching The Story of My Life at the Booth. It’s 90 entertaining minutes – nothing life changing – but enjoyable. It’s a simple story about two friends and how they impacted one another’s lives. If anything go to show your appreciation for originality in the theatre as we become more and more swamped with the “Shreks” and other film adaptations headed our way. I have nothing but respect for the investors and producers who decided to take a risk by bringing a show like this to Broadway - hats off.
P.S – The student rush policy is amazing. $20.00 two hours before the curtain and from what I’ve witnessed – most of the seats are located in the orchestra. (photo credit goes to playbill.com)
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