Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – From personal to universal: The Bengsons meditate on grief and death in THE KEEP GOING SONGS

• By drediman
• May 8, 2024
• No Comments

Over the past few years, the singer/songwriter duo of Abigail and Shaun Bengson — together known simply as the Bengsons — have become a quiet theatrical force, particularly in the more experimental Off-Broadway scene (I have vivid memories of their shows at New York Theatre Workshop and St. Ann’s Warehouse). Their performances feature a bespoke blend of folk concert and theatrical memoir that have captivated audiences hungry for new avenues of music theater. The duo’s latest show The Keep Going Songs — which is currently being presented under the auspices of Lincoln Center Theatre at the Claire Tow Theater — is no different.

In fact, the show finds the husband-and-wife team spinning out in fascinating new directions. What starts off as an intimate and intensely personal reflection on grief and death — vis-à-vis the recent tragic loss of Abigail’s brother to cancer — stealthily expands in scope over the course of the evening, eventually turning its sights to the cosmos for answers and comfort. Indeed, about halfway through, the piece explodes out of its shell, in essence traversing time and space, often in an unruly manner. Although some may find this untethered approach a bit too haphazard or avant-garde — there’s a crab metamorphosis song (!) that goes on for far too long — I find that The Keep Going Songs ultimately arrives at a place of transcendent spirituality we can all benefit from.

With only eloquently rambling songs — Abigail and Shaun are each astonishing, resourceful of the highest order — and low key yet compelling banter at their disposal, the Bengsons’ soulful performances exemplify the act of theatrical storytelling, hooking audiences in initially with their accessible, warm personalities. That unassuming warmth eventually leads to amusing quirkiness, ultimately tapping into a deep well of feeling that can overwhelm the theater. Abigail in particular is a fierce performer; when she feels the spirit welling and stirring within her, she takes on the very hue of whatever emotion has taken hold of her.

RECOMMENDED

THE KEEP GOING SONGS
Off-Broadway, Musical
Lincoln Center Theater at the Claire Tow Theater
1 hour, 50 minutes (without an intermission)
Through May 26