The Broadway Ferret

Image via Curtains Musical

Rating: 4 masks out of 5

    I was pleasantly surprised from the opening number to the finale.  I’m a fan of musicals and comedies and the fact that they were paired together with a mystery made it a must-see for me.

     The plot is what ties the whole story together.  It centers on the murder of a despised leading lady during the out-of-town tryout of a Broadway bound musical, which happens to be investigated by a detective who’s a fan of musicals.  It was enjoyable to watch David Hyde Pierce’s character, Lieut. Frank Cioffi, try to juggle a homicide investigation while being starstruck from being around Broadway-caliber performers to his growing attraction to a rising actress.  On top of all this, he adds his two cents regarding the production.

     I loved the scenery, especially for the scenes that take place on the stage of the musical-within-the-musical.  The back of the stage looked believable enough that I actually thought I was watching in the audience of the make-believe theater.  The scenery for the musical-within-the-musical were cheesy and bright and made you wonder with mild horror if a similar production is in the works somewhere.

     Of course, it’s the songs that make a musical what it is, and Curtains has enough to spand a wide range of emotions.  From “What Kind of Man”, the producers’ and lyricists’ lament over their show’s reviews to the perfect comedic timing of “He Did It”.  The songs of the musical-within-the-musical should be noted as well for their cheesiness (hey, it matches the scenery) as for their mildly inappropriate choreography, especially for the number “Thataway!”, which is featured below.

Image via Curtains Musical

     What prevents me from being completely and totally in love with this show is the lack of the one, big defining number.  The kind where if you hear it somewhere you automatically think of the show and start replaying it in your head.  I guess “Show Business” would count but it doesn’t have enough of a “punch” for me.

      Anyone who’s a fan of musicals or ever wished they were in one (especially on Broadway) would love this show.  I would highly recommend this show to people not familiar with what goes on in a musical or have never seen one before live.  I think those who eat, drink and sleep theatre will enjoy the show for its inside jokes.

     Curtains (which closes June 29th) is playing at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.  Running time: 2hrs, 40mins with a 15 min intermission.

Al Hirschfeld Theatre
302 W. 45th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues)
New York, NY 10036
Phone 866.353.5167