Urinetown: The Musical

The plot of Urinetown: the Musical is intriguing.  Due to a severe draught, private toilets and public urination have become outlawed, meaning the only way to relieve oneself is via the public amenities.  Failure to comply results in a one-way trip to the mythical ‘Urinetown’.  Public Amenity Number 9, run by Penelope Pennywise, is the only place the town’s poor can afford to use.  When fee hikes are introduced, the Assistant Custodian Bobby Strong – newly in love in a Romeo and Juliet-type situation – sets in motion a strike for everyone to ‘pee for free’. 

However there’s something a little NQR about Players Theatre Company’s production, playing at the Christine Strachan Theatre until 7 July. 

It’s not the set (designed by Garry Barcham), which remains the staple for the entire production.  Amenity Number 9 is the feature; the foreground to the city’s skyline and especially the corporate office of Urine Good Company (UGC) which provides a nice contrast to the obviously lower-caste community.  The set at stage left doesn’t seem to have its purpose until Act 2 when its design proves intelligent and insightful.

It’s not the cast, who are strong singers and physically well cast for their caricature roles.  Special mention here goes to Colin Morley as Officer Lockstock, Josh Gavin as Officer Barrel, Zachary Alaimo as Bobby Strong, and Lauren Edwards as Little Sally.

It’s not the lighting design by Simon Horsburgh, with its efficient use of the follow spot and sharp transfer of colours for emotion (though on the technical spectrum the broken lapel mic and loud audio feedback wasn’t great). 

It may have been the lost opportunities by director Carl Whiteside: the gags that didn’t quite work, including the lost laughs, and the unrealiseddevelopment of a style.  Was this show to be tongue-in-cheek, or satirical?  Then play it up.  Was it intended to be bleak and dramatic?  Then push that.  You can’t be half-n-half and undecided in this matter. 

Determining the target audience would help matters here.  The show didn’t seem to be aimed at adults, who generally sat stony faced in the auditorium, chuckle-less.  It took itself too seriously for a children’s show.        

Unfortunately costumes gave no indication of the show’s context: are we in 2120 or 1980?  Some chorus characters required more development too.  A sharpening of the overall pace was also in order, to cut the show down by approximately 20 minutes.  More energy from the cast would’ve helped matters, as well as a larger climax at seizing-Cladwell time.

There were, however, many pleasing aspects: choreography by Hayley Wood caters for the different skills and is effective for a large cast in a small space (the highlight being “Run, Freedom, Run!” in the second act).  The use of the screen for plunges into ‘Urinetown’ elicited positive reactions from the audience.  Bobby’s demise was moving.  The actual songs are terrific, and the music is bright (thanks to Musical Director Rebecca Dupuy-Purcell).

For a 30^th anniversary production, Players Theatre Company should’ve wowed its audience more.  For many theatre-goers it would’ve been the first viewing of Urinetown, and it may or may not have hit the right buttons.

Nevertheless, decide for yourself - tickets are available from Players Theatre Company: www.playerstc.net.

Tammy Shmerling