13 January 2024 I 19:30 I St George's Hall, Bradford
⭐⭐
Stranger Sings!, a parody of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things is out on the road after previously successful runs from London and beyond. With the genre of parody comes an expectation of exaggeration, though many moments feel senseless, struggling to get the laugh out loud punches. Indeed, the show has its highlights which make me smile with childish stupidity, yet a choppy structure and lack of originality doesn't give me enough love for this production.
In terms of discovering it's own independent show, this is something where the comedic stylings feel too forced. There are plenty of gags to keep Stranger Sings! afloat, but directly repeating the TV series' humour falls flat. It is a safe hit for fans, but audiences crave uniqueness, potential to find hilarity in the unexpected. Nor did the timings of these moments impress me. It is known to fans that a lead character unfortunately lost his child through events ahead of the story. When this is discussed, characters break into song, designed to engage laughter for comic effect. Yes the story is fiction, though it is handled with an insensitivity and disrespect, a lack of consideration for the impact such events have on the audience. If this should have been included is debateable, opposed to turning everything into jest, resulting in an uneven pacing.
There are enjoyable moments to Stranger Sings!, holding so much nostalgia against the original and nods to the 80s for older audiences than myself. Justin Williams' set design really captures this amalgamation of the decade. This works wonderfully alongside Clancy Flynn's lighting design to allow a fixed set of Joyce's wrecked home to transform through the Upside Down, woods or Hawkins High School. There is a warmth to this show, laughs filling the auditorium, even if this style of comedy doesn't necessarily tickle my funny bone.
Where Barb (Philippa Leadbetter) becomes the forgotten character of Stranger Things, Stranger Sings! gives her a legacy, my favourite of the roles where you certainly cannot miss her! Written by Jonathan Hogue, her songs are lyrically engaging and sassy, reclaiming her lost voice and extending the character beyond the linear. Leadbetter has a tremendous charisma and wit, the star of the evening with such infectious vocals. Olivia Zacharia's musical direction finds a lot of semblance with the sounds we know and love, and I enjoy how she is briefly included in the action, rather than a boundary between actors and band. And it is impossible to miss an oddly seductive dancing Demogorgon, removing the horror to maintain the madness. Shannon Bourne is an extremely talented dancer, reflecting her ability to be hilarious purely with body work. I have to admit, it is a weird decision. Though alongside Barb, these two hold the show together, because they are SO drastically juxtaposed to what we know, and this is exactly where the comedy is.
Where these adaptations grasped this absurd theme, other characteristics feel uncomfortable to watch. Branching from Dr. Brenner's antagonisingly weird gorilla leaps across the stage to a bewildered Jonathan, and even a talkative Eleven, these choices are so hard to find the laughter with, crossing the line into the cringe of parody. Nevertheless, Alfie Doohan and Anna Amelia refine the heightened mannerisms of Steve and Nancy respectively, taking all the small niches of their characters yet considering their silliness so that it doesn't become tiring. It is assuring to see an extension of the story, opposed to a dramatic copy that diminishes the original series.
Within a parody, you shouldn't expect the plot to maintain a regular beginning to end, though a few scenes, notably the appearance of Scoops Ahoy left me lost, with significant diversions from the Season 1 premise. The choreography could at times feel hesitant, as I feel the production relies on punchlines and character work. Nevertheless, the multi-rolled casting is immensely impressive, and the attention to detail with characters is very well differentiated.
Directed by Ellis Kerkhoven, Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical is... well... strange. Many times during this high octane show I was left feeling confused and overwhelmed by perplexity at it's very limit. Parody has a laxity of serious 'professionalism', though I wish it could have been handled with more care, rather than throwing everything at the wall. A mix of trying to cram the entirety of Season 1 with the unnecessary additions of dazzling Winona Ryder numbers for example, reigning in such energy could really benefit the production. While many fans will undoubtably love the craziness and references to the iconic Stranger Things, it remains a lot to be desired.
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