Boasting new cast members and a longer run, J. Lindsay Brown Dance and The Glitter Island Gang are together again for a reboot of last year’s successful “Spectacle Spectacular,” a totally improvised, full-length musical running Sundays through July 31 at MCL in Lakeview. Built on the same idea as The Art of Falling, a Hubbard Street/Second City collaboration combining contemporary dance and sketch comedy, Spectacle Spectacular is a way (way) less refined iteration of a brilliant formula marrying the two forms. Unlike The Art of Falling, much, much more of Spectacle Spectacular is left up to chance, as the plot, songs, and dances are completely made up on the spot.
On the night I attended, an audience prompt brought us to a title of “Annoying Caverns.” The plot eventually settled on a long-standing feud between two high school sweethearts-turned-enemies on account of a misunderstanding at prom. Many years later, each prom date would be charged with selecting a “Chosen One” to kill the other, the search for whom included a mechanic with magic hands, a half ape/half man super strong grandson, a sword in the stone (except the stone was a refrigerator), and a series of songs about being special… “so special!”
Having attended this show more than once, there’s a clear enough structure to keep the group on track: an up tune here, a ballad there, a dream ballet sequence and a rousing closer. Like wine, one would expect to find this show improved with age (and practice), but I found this second visit to “Spectacle Spectacular” slightly more nervous and riddled with problems. It took a number of attempts and blunders for the cast to settle into the plot, with a few too many cooks in the kitchen trying to force something to happen at the same time.
Look, I get it. Adrenaline is high, decisions have to eventually be made, and despite the blunders, “Spectacle Spectacular” had so many shining moments (particularly once everyone figured out what was going on). Even some of the oopsie moments were endearing: cast members blatantly admitted the absurdities going on, and since no one seems to be taking him/herself too seriously anyway, it’s really hard not to love this show. It was an off night, indeed certain moments could be called failures, but the risks one takes attending a show that is not yet written are far fewer than the risks each performer accepts as an actor, singer, and dancer in the thing. Take the risk, because the rewards we all stand to gain when it goes just right are so worth it.
--Spectacle Spectacular runs Sundays only, through July 31, 8:00pm at MCL Chicago (3110 N. Sheffield). Tickets are $20 and all shows are B.Y.O.B.
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