Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – A pair of fierce leading performances and Bill T. Jones’s choreography elevate the otherwise workmanlike PARADISE SQUARE

• By drediman
• April 4, 2022
• No Comments

Last night, the new musical Paradise Square opened on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The show – with music by Jason Howland; lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Masi Asare; and book by Christina Andersen, Craig Lucas, and Larry Kirwan – marks the return to the Great White Way of Garth Drabinsky, the producer of and driving force behind beloved musicals like Kiss of the Spider Woman, Ragtime and the storied last Broadway revival of Show Boat who was notoriously imprisoned for tax fraud. Set during the 1860s, Paradise Square depicts the stories of the denizens of Five Points (particularly as it relates to the riots incited by the Civil War), a neighborhood in southern Manhattan where Blacks and Irish immigrants resided harmoniously side by side.

In tone and theming, Paradise Square comes across like a love child between Les Misérables and Ragtime, which seems by design. Indeed, in many ways, it feels like a musical made by committee, for better or worse. There’s a generic workmanlike quality to both the book and the score, which are collectively credited to six separate writers. The book attempts to tackle too many narrative threads, which burdens the plot instead of adding texture to it. Sometimes less is more. Additionally, in its attempt to be woke, the storytelling is often telegraphed and forced, as opposed to letting the its messages flow organically from the proceedings. The score is a parade of full throated power ballads and rousing anthems, most of which are tinged with a pleasant but distancing pop rock sound. Thankfully, a good deal of passion and authenticity are injected into the show by Bill T. Jones’s choreography and the show’s performances, which elevate the musical far above the pedestrian craftsmanship of the material.

The production has been directed by Moisés Kaufman, whose somber but bombastic staging seems inspired by Les Miz. Taking its cue from both Irish and African folk dancing, Mr. Jones’s choreography is exceptional, stylishly foreshadowing the advent of tap dancing, as well as driving the show forward with excitement and drama (the second act dance-off is especially thrillingly conceived and executed). Of the performances, Joaquina Kalukango and Chilina Kennedy – who play Five Points’ focal Black and Irish American matriarchs, respectively – steal the show with their fierce commitment. Ms. Kalukango is especially powerful, giving a raw performance that grounds the musical, giving it real stakes (her 11 o’clock number is sure to be one of the highlights of the season). Beyond these two performances, thecast is top notch, and there’s a real sense of community among them that dovetails beautifully with the show’s portrayal of the resiliency of Five Points under duress.

RECOMMENDED

PARADISE SQUARE
Broadway, Musical
Ethel Barrymore Theatre
2 hours, 40 minutes (with one intermission)
Open run