Groundhog Day continues to be the best reviewed show in Landmark’s history, and this latest review from Greggory Moore at Random Lengths News highlights some of our favorite parts about this production. Excerpts below and read the full article online here.
The highlight here is a long sequence near the end of Act 1 starting with “Nobody Cares”, where Phil (Jay Dysart) laments his stuckness to a pair of drunks (Joey Krumbein and Charlie Carlos). Although the conceit of expanding their film roles by giving them a song that fleshes out their backstory is clever in and of itself, the real tickle is getting this tandem show-stopper from a pair of actors we thought were only bit players.
– Random Lengths News
“Nobody Cares” is so good that you’d think there’s no way to keep the momentum, but the ensuing stick-puppet car chase (part and parcel of the mise en scène’s winsome DIY aesthetic) does the job.
– Random Lengths News
Then comes “Strut (Philandering)”, where Phil finds the loop has opened doors for his more ignoble instincts. This may be where director/choreographer Megan O’Toole leaves her most indelible mark. Needless to say, initially establishing Phil’s loop is a relatively simple matter of having everyone around him repeat their lines and blocking verbatim. But once Phil’s attitude changes, O’Toole has everyone around him adapt their repetition as a sort of living objective correlative. Wonderful stuff.
– Random Lengths News
opening night’s biggest laugh was generated by Doug Emslie mugging for a trice before delivering a particular line for the third or fourth time, a wink at the audience showing the actor’s (as opposed to the character’s) consciousness of being stuck in a loop. Hilarious.
– Random Lengths News
Although this is a team win, ya gotta have a strong Phil, and Jay Dysart might’ve won the part on merit even if he weren’t the producer. Especially admirable is his stamina, as from curtain to curtain he brings total energy to whatever the moment requires — comedy, humanity, singing. It’s a task made all the more demanding by the fact that O’Toole’s blocking has Dysart in almost perpetual motion, including during a droll bit of misdirection where he seems to be everywhere at once.
– Random Lengths News
That above-mentioned church, First Congregational, is indeed a Long Beach landmark (in addition to being a “liberal, progressive” haven “welcoming of all” and “passionately committed to social justice,” God bless ‘em) and a helluva unique place to see a show. Not that that matters if the show sucks. But Groundhog Day: The Musical doesn’t. In fact, it’s far more than mere nostalgia trip. If you can’t find a lot to like here, then you’re doing it wrong.
– Random Lengths News