The satirical whimsical musical “Urinetown” launches well deserved barbs at greedy capitalists, environmental polluters and overblown Broadway musicals including Les Miserables. It’s the poor versus the rich melodrama set to music.
Directed by John Command, has assembled a talented cast for this over the top spirited romp at the Jungle Theater promises to be this summer’s must see entertainment.
Several clichés are employed here including the handsome hero Billy who battles the evil industrialist Cladwell who is in league with slimy politicians to raise fees at public restrooms. Cladwell is a caricature of the Monopoly game capitalist figure with top hat and mustache.
Of courses Billy falls for the blonde beauty, Cladwell’s daughter, another cliché. Moreover, show stopping production numbers borrow heavily from overblown Hollywood musicals with the Charleston chorus line and the “Negro” spiritual. All of this poking fun at bad musicals is most endearing.
Although I was most skeptical about this endeavor given the title “Urinetown,” I lost myself in the moment which has to be seen to be believed.
