There’s nothing so exciting at the theater than suddenly realizing what’s unfolding before you is original. It’s a quality that keeps more than a few reviewers enthusiastic about their chosen career when recent pickings have been woefully slim. Curiously, though, it may be that too much originality can have a diminishing effect, not a development often pondered.
For an immediate example of the above, there’s the brand-new Octet. We’re mighty lucky to have it, thanks to Dave (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812) Malloy, who’s provided the book, lyrics, music and vocal arrangements. The busy bookwriter-lyricist-composer-arranger has turned over direction to Annie Tippe, and she’s done a crackerjack job at her 100-intermissionless-minutes duties.
Observant patrons will notice on the way into the auditorium that they’re meant to be entering a large meeting room in the J. Groostman Faith Center where the Friends of Saul are about to gather—but, as substitute group leader Paula (Starr Busby) immediately explains, without Saul, who’s caught up elsewhere in a “coding” crisis.
[Read Michael Sommers’ ★★★★ review here.]
Those ticket buyers who haven’t taken in the appointed place and time may wonder why the humble tables and chairs already set up (Amy Rubin and Brittany Vasta are the set designers) are being removed so that eight of the chairs can be placed in a circle. All becomes clear quickly when the seven people now seated—to be joined shortly by an eighth—are present at something very like a 12-Step program, this one more of an eight-step program, echoing Malloy’s musical title.
Granted, a 12-Step meeting isn’t exactly the most original setting, but originality kicks in big time when the gathered octet begin singing a mesmerizing threnody, the first words of which go, “There was a forest/One time sometime.” The eight 12-Steppers are about to enter their own psychological forest, during which journeys they’ll share their stories and confront their besetting problems.
Off they go one by one, interrupted only when honoring Saul-established rituals like a psychedelic tea break. The shares include Henry (Alex Gibson) rejoicing ambiguously in his candy fetish, Marvin (Ed Mollison) weighing his scientist’s convictions with the possibility of an unprovable God, Karly (Kim Blanck) and Ed (Adam Bashian) tracing their conflicted attitudes towards love, and Paula facing her concerns about a troubled marriage. The others contributing to the expertly drilled ensemble work are Justin Gregory Lopez as Toby, Kuhoo Verma as Velma, and Margo Seibert as Jessica, the first of the sharers with a plea to the woman in her mirror.
Yes, the grappled subjects sound weighty—and are—but the substantial delicacy of Malloy’s music (and for the most part unrhymed) lyrics vitiates anything approaching the turgid. Moreover, Tippe and Malloy, when casting, obviously considered vocal power equal with acting strengths. Throughout, everything floats on the J. Groostman Faith Center air like seductive perfume. The solos—more often than not underlined by cast descants—enthrall.
Incidentally, here’s where all that originality starts to thicken. Malloy dispenses so much of his brilliantly subtle music—all of it sung acapella—that before the final fade-out his score threatens to evaporate into the old too-much-of-a-good-thing.
It has to be reported that the Octet origins—the unmistakably profound meanings for Malloy (is he a 12-Step veteran? Not explicitly indicated)—will likely escape many, if not all, attendees. Actually, his preoccupations are hinted at on the program cover, which depicts a Tarot card: The Fool, representing the future’s promise, as long as certain warnings are accorded attention. In this context, the brighter future is intended to be gained through 12-Step recovery.
The musical’s program, which perhaps most viewers won’t examine closely beforehand, elaborates on the Tarot card clue. Each musical number includes the parenthetical mention of a particular card (The Hierophant, The Tower, The Hanged Man. The Devil, representing free-floating-anxiety monsters harassing the members of the Octet eight).
The Octet program also comes with an inserted sheet of paper not seen in recent musical-comedy-going memory, or in any memory: a bibliography. The list announces the texts, shows, films, podcasts, games, and music from which Malloy has drawn inspirations for his production. Perhaps it’s a good thing if spectators don’t get around to this additional item before Paula sounds her first pitch pipe note. Otherwise, taking it in could prompt the ominous thought that what’s ahead could be off-puttingly esoteric. To some extent, Octet is esoteric but only in the best way possible.
Octet ends with a hymn featuring one of the most astounding lyrics to a new song in any recent musical outing: “Beyond right and wrong/There is a field/I will meet you there” It’s not a bad idea for anyone interested in the best musicals—if not necessarily the most accessible ones—to meet in a hopeful, and in no way foolish hurry, at Dave Malloy’s astounding Octet.
Octet opened May 19, 2019, at Signature Center and runs through June 23. Tickets and information: signaturetheatre.org
