Musicals have the interesting distinction of being as much loved as they’re often dismissed as entirely ridiculous. Whereas most other types of theatre are either entirely based in reality or inhabiting a fantasy land of one kind or another, musicals are a sort of middle ground, where real-ish situations are made absurd by the characters breaking into song accompanied by a full orchestra.
Watching a musical is a master class in suspension of disbelief, and it’s in that fuzzy ether that much humor can be found. Add to that the way in which the big Broadway musical has become an industry unto itself and it’s open season for a show like Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation.
The Broadway spoof show has been around for over three decades, with multiple iterations and casts touring the globe to spread the word that, hey, musicals are ridiculous! Now showing at the Denver Center’s cabaret spot, the Garner Galleria, Forbidden Broadway features a cast of four who blast through over 30 numbers from just about any show you can think of. From warhorses like Les Miserables and Phantom to newer fare from shows like The Book of Mormon and Dear Evan Hanson, the Forbidden cast takes the original lyrics and replaces them with sarcastic takes on the show itself.
The cast now here in Denver is quite good, with two men and two women having a lot of fun running about to swap costumes, wigs and more as they motor through the singing sarcasm almost entirely within the songs themselves. They’re no slouches themselves in their singing and dancing ability, and they all share a giddy delight in lobbing lampoon harpoons at many a sacred cow of musical theatre. All of the music is driven by an onstage accompanist on piano.
Part of the fun (and you can hear people whispering the answers throughout) is guessing quickly which show and song they’re embarking upon. Most of them are pretty obvious for anyone who’s been watching musicals for a while, but others not so much — especially for the less initiated. And while the action is lively enough to stand on its own for some, I’d be wary of bringing a musical neophyte to this one since they simply won’t get all the jokes. (My 21-year-old son thought it boring, but he was not in the majority opinion among the almost-full room that had a wonderful time.)
Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation is a fun and very funny night out and a welcome respite from all things holidays that are dominating theatres right now. It plays through the New Year and tickets are a pretty affordable $52.
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