Another blockbuster review of Jagged Little Pill – this time in the Grunion Gazette and Press Telegram from Sean McMullen. Excerpts from the review are below and follow the links to read the full article online.
“Landmark excels at exactly this kind of story,” writes Theater Critic Sean McMullen, “pain transfigured into purpose, music as healing.”
“Landmark Theatre’s new production doesn’t just honor the history, it revitalizes it. Under the steady hand of director Richard J. Martinez, this “Jagged Little Pill” trades Broadway bombast for intimacy, finding truth in the lyrics rather than hiding behind spectacle. The result is a show that feels at once fiercely contemporary and unmistakably “Landmark;” it’s human, grounded, and bursting with musical power.”
“As matriarch Mary Jane Healy, Megan O’Toole gives a performance of astonishing emotional depth. Her voice rides the edge between control and collapse, exactly where Morissette’s songs live. She captures both the brittle veneer and the desperate heart of a woman addicted not only to painkillers but to maintaining the illusion of having it all together.”
“Evelyn Carter shines as Frankie, their adopted daughter whose sense of social justice burns as brightly as her confusion about love and belonging. Cole Whiter as Jo explodes off the stage, a power house in spirit and vocals, particularly during “You Oughta Know.” Whiter delivers that iconic song not as angry parody but as emotional exorcism. It’s thrilling and real.”
“Sarah Ledesma gives an impressively controlled and authentic performance as Bella, whose trauma and eventual courage give the show its moral center. When Daelyn Cerruti steps in as both MJ/Bella’s avatar, the internal and external worlds of pain collide with theatrical grace.”
“Jacob Anthony Cain brings sincerity and nuance to Nick Healy, capturing the confusion and pressure of a teenager raised to be perfect. Richie Jones-Muhammad and Adriano Brown round out the ensemble with verve and precision, while the full company creates a wall of sound that shakes the very rafters.”
“Landmark excels at exactly this kind of story — pain transfigured into purpose, music as healing.
It’s not an easy night, but as with Morissette’s own album, the journey hurts beautifully.”
— Sean McMullen, Press Telegram & Grunion Gazette