Podcast Summary: MickeyJoTheatre – "The Worst Shows Mickey-Jo Saw in 2024 | Reviews of Disappointing Plays and Musicals from the Last Year"
In the January 2, 2025 episode of MickeyJoTheatre, Mickey-Jo delves into his most disappointing theatrical experiences of 2024. With over 250 shows under his belt, Mickey-Jo offers candid critiques of productions across Broadway, West End, Off-Broadway, Off-West End, Edinburgh Fringe, and international stages. This episode emphasizes honesty and the importance of showcasing both successes and failures in theatre criticism.
1. The Who's Tommy – Broadway
Venue: Nederlander Theatre
Review Highlights: Mickey-Jo criticizes the production for its overwhelming noise and lack of emotional depth, making it hard for the audience to connect with the characters.
Notable Quote:
C [02:55]: "The whole thing, in both its material and in this production, is so deliberately overblown and loud that you don't really feel those subtler emotional beats. But because Tommy is inaccessible to his parents, he's also inaccessible to us as the audience."
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He points out that while the production has potential, its execution failed to deliver meaningful emotional impact. However, he praises Ali Lewis Borsgi's vocal performance, highlighting a silver lining amid the disappointment.
2. Rehab – New Musical
Review Highlights: The musical is critiqued for commodifying addiction, delivering cheap humor at the expense of character development, and presenting shallow narratives.
Notable Quote:
B [04:18]: "This process... turns from being unrelatedly brash and self-involved to completely self-actualized and almost angelic in an instant."
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He identifies the unconventional venue as a red flag, noting that the space was unsuitable for mainstream musical theatre. Despite this, he acknowledges that the show touches on important themes, though poorly balanced with offensive material.
3. 101 Dalmatians – UK Tour
Review Highlights: The UK tour of "101 Dalmatians" is described as too generic and juvenile compared to its original, more vibrant production.
Notable Quote:
C [06:00]: "This is a show that has become a lot more tame, a lot less crazed and out there than the original production was."
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He expresses disappointment over the lack of creativity and the unnecessary inclusion of contemporary language, which detracted from the show's charm. Nonetheless, he commends the new puppetry and supporting performances.
4. Made In Dagenham – London Palladium
Review Highlights: The staged concert faced technical issues, particularly with sound, leading to an anti-climactic finale that undermined the show's pivotal moments.
Notable Quote:
B [07:36]: "The sound was a huge, huge issue... It's a huge, awkward anti-climax."
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He criticizes the choice of venue and the inexperience of the producers with staged concerts. However, he highlights Bonnie Langford's performance on "In An Ideal World" as a standout moment.
5. Closer to Heaven – Turbine Theatre, Battersea
Review Highlights: The revival struggles with character chemistry and a lackluster score, leading to an unengaging narrative despite strong performances.
Notable Quote:
B [09:18]: "There are good performances that aren't connecting together into believable chemistry."
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He notes that the production failed to resonate with contemporary audiences, feeling stereotypical and outdated. Nevertheless, he appreciates the innovative use of the Turbine Theatre space before its closure.
6. Uncle Vanya – Lincoln Center Theatre
Review Highlights: The modernized translation and sitcom-like setting detract from the inherent depth of Chekhov's characters, resulting in a tonally inconsistent performance.
Notable Quote:
B [11:17]: "This flippant, modernized... missed the mark for me, tonally and aesthetically."
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: Despite a stellar cast, Mickey-Jo felt the production lacked the necessary emotional weight, expressing reservations about American interpretations of Chekhov's work. He does commend William Jackson Harper's performance.
7. Enfield Haunting
Review Highlights: The play fails to deliver genuine fear or insightful commentary, plagued by inconsistent character writing and unnecessary sexual tension.
Notable Quote:
B [13:11]: "Do we think it would work better as a comedy if they actually leaned into spoofing the entire thing and playing it for laughs?"
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He approached the show out of curiosity but found it underwhelming, pointing out technical mishaps during the curtain call. While the set design and some performances were memorable, overall, the production lacked coherence.
8. Tammy Faye – Palace Theatre, Broadway
Review Highlights: The Broadway rendition diverges from its successful Off-West End predecessor, with a confusing portrayal of Tammy Faye's life and an identity crisis evident in its marketing.
Notable Quote:
B [07:36 + various]: "The red flag here might be the departure of Andrew Rannells before the show had even started."
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He attributes the show's failure to departure of key cast members and marketing confusion. Nonetheless, Katy Brabin's performance receives high praise as a definitive silver lining.
9. Big Gay Jamboree – Off Broadway
Review Highlights: The show suffers from an unclear concept and identity crisis, making it difficult for audiences to grasp its intent or enjoy the performances fully.
Notable Quote:
B [09:18 + various]: "This show doesn't know what it wants to be... an identity crisis as a piece."
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He criticizes the marketing and the singular concept that stifles the show's potential. However, Natalie Walker's supporting performance stands out as a bright spot amidst the confusion.
10. Edinburgh Fringe Highlights
a. You and It
Review Highlights: The musical struggles with repetitive dialogue and a weak script, despite exploring intriguing themes of grief and artificial intelligence.
Notable Quote:
C [19:59]: "This is not what he wants. He wants to just cling to the past."
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He acknowledges the inherent passion in the story but laments the poor execution of its lyrical and narrative elements. The only silver lining is the thematic exploration, which is better handled in other shows he saw that year.
b. House of Cleopatra
Review Highlights: An immersive nightclub-style musical that flounders between sincerity and camp, leading to a disjointed and unengaging performance.
Notable Quote:
C [22:07]: "Too much of it was staged on the flat floor, so we couldn't even really see it."
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He finds the concept fundamentally flawed, unable to capture Cleopatra's story effectively within the chosen setting. While some vocal performances were commendable, the overall production left him unimpressed.
11. Roadshow – Upstairs at the Gatehouse
Review Highlights: The production fails to deliver the emotional depth expected from a Stephen Sondheim musical, hampered by a sepia-toned aesthetic and lackluster score.
Notable Quote:
B [24:20]: "The whole thing is just Sepia tone and this slightly threadbare aesthetic."
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He criticizes the underwritten script and lack of vibrancy compared to Sondheim's other works. Nonetheless, he remains hopeful for future productions to find a more compelling interpretation.
12. Romeo and Juliet – Directed by Jamie Lloyd
Review Highlights: The production's minimalist and whispered performances strip away the play's inherent passion, resulting in a bland and unengaging interpretation.
Notable Quote:
C [26:42]: "When you take all of the passion out of it, what the hell are you left with?"
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He decries the lack of emotional authenticity, feeling the production fails to capture the essence of Shakespeare's tragedy. However, he praises Freema Ajiman's performance as a redeeming factor.
13. Willy's Candy Spectacular – Edinburgh Fringe
Review Highlights: A hastily assembled musical parody lacks creativity and coherence, offering little more than catchy tunes without meaningful content.
Notable Quote:
C [28:57]: "The whole thing just awful... it was completely aimless."
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He attributes the show's failure to its rushed production and lack of genuine satire, making it an unintentional AI-like parody. The only redeeming aspect is the memorable hook of the titular song.
14. Opening Night – West End
Review Highlights: The production is criticized for its misogynistic undertones, incoherent dialogue, and lack of emotional depth, leading to a disjointed and offensive performance.
Notable Quote:
B [31:37]: "This makes her mania impossible for us to glimpse through the haze of their collective lunacy."
Mickey-Jo's Perspective: He holds director Ivo Van Hove partly responsible for the flawed adaptation, emphasizing the disrespect shown towards the cast and material. Despite the turmoil, Sheridan Smith's wholehearted performance is noted as a silver lining.
Conclusion
Mickey-Jo wraps up the episode by acknowledging the challenging and disappointing aspects of the year in theatre, yet remains optimistic by promising to share his favorite productions in upcoming content. He encourages listeners to share their own theatrical disappointments, fostering a respectful and open dialogue within the theatre community.
Notable Closing Quote:
Mickey-Jo [32:48 – 32:59]: "It was a truly a car crash at the Gielgud Theater that too many brilliant people were involved in and too many of us had to watch."
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This comprehensive overview captures Mickey-Jo's critical analysis of the year's most disappointing theatrical productions, providing valuable insights for theatre enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.