Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Where the streets have no name: The stage adaptation of SING STREET, where “School of Rock” meets “Billy Elliot” and “Once”

• By drediman
• January 6, 2020
• No Comments

The company of the stage adaptation of “Sing Street” at New York Theatre Workshop. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

This weekend, I caught up with the highly anticipated Off-Broadway stage adaptation of Sing Street at New York Theatre Workshop. Based on John Carney’s 2016 film of the same name, the musical has been adapted for the stage by accomplished Irish playwright Enda Walsh, who also ushered Once (also via NYTW), another Carney film-to-stage adaptation, to Tony-winning success. Set in dead end early-1980s Dublin, the piece tells the unsparing yet inspiring story of Conor, a 15-year-old boy from a financially precarious, soon-to-be broken-up home, who defies the cards he’s been dealt with through art (in the guise of pop and punk rock) and young love.

Sing Street proudly wears its influences on its sleeves. Although it starts off registering more like a play with music, it eventually blossoms into a proper musical that bears strong resemblances to high school versions of School of Rock (e.g., misunderstood youths forming an affirming rock band) and Billy Elliot (e.g., escaping the dire prospects of a disintegrating society), as well as a teenage iteration of Once (e.g., the Dublin setting, the delicate rendering of an unlikely love story). Despite a strong pop rock score by Mr. Carney and Gary Clark that’s both rousing and sensitively-wrought, I feel Mr. Enda’s book still lacks the focus and the effortless and uncompromising theatricality of his work on Once (there are a number of instances of stunted plot and character development). Indeed, what the show currently lacks is a unique identity strong enough to more defiantly distinguish itself from its aforementioned musical theater forebears.

Not surprisingly, the staging by Rebecca Taichman calls to mind the seamless and minimalist bare-stage aesthetic of Once (both productions have been designed by the great Bob Crowley). Whereas that previous show had a strong sense of identity, Sing Street is still trying to find its voice in its stage incarnation. As a result, the nakedness of the direction actually exposes the flaws of the show, as opposed to masking them. Nevertheless, the performances are strong and heartfelt, and the main reason I left the theater stirred. Particularly successful are Martin Moran, who strikingly plays against type as a bullying priest and principal of a rough Catholic high school, as well as Gus Halper, who gives a subtle, heartbreaking performance as Conor’s depressed older brother Gus. As the show’s central teenage lovers, Zara Devlin (Raphina) and Brenock O’Connor (Conor) give disarmingly honest performances that form the heart of the show. Whenever they’re onstage – which is frequently, thankfully – Sing Street transcends its current flaws and, yes, sings.

RECOMMENDED

SING STREET
Off-Broadway, Musical
New York Theatre Workshop
2 hours, 20 minutes (with one intermission)
Through January 26