January 4th 2014- "Lost Boy"

When I first looked at our show list I was more looking forward to all the West End shows. The first show we saw was in the smallest theater I had ever seen in my life.  I sat front row and I was afraid that if I crossed my legs, I would trip the actors. I was so impressed by the way they used the small space.  I figured it would be a really small cast because of the size of the stage, but they would have a full chorus on stage during specific scenes.  They were jumping and dancing and I could not believe how they could do it all without tripping on each other or falling on the audience.

I was so pleasantly surprised. I was not expecting to be so moved and to see such an excellent work of art. Melody was a very present and effective element during this show.  Unlike many musicals, the music in this show does not try to sell a tune. The songs were not particularly catchy or flashy. These are not songs that you will leave the theater singing or that you will quickly put on your ipod.  However, this music drove the story forward. They felt natural.  It was not awkward at all.  The songs were so much a part of the story that it flowed so well that you did not even realize it was a musical. They were used as a form of expression.  The songs were used to express the thoughts, feelings, and emotions. The different styles reflected the point the story was trying to convey.

What affected me most was the satire. I did not expect to cry as much as I did. It illustrated and satirized society in a very emotional way. I personally question certain things our society seems to associate with "growing up". Alcohol, sex, and simply showing that you are "tough".  I also think that men have this overwhelming pressure to "be a man" and prove their masculinity.  I loved how the show turned that idea on its head and displayed how this sort of behavior actually makes you more of a child.  It was a very human show.  I also was very taken by the number in which Captain Hook was dancing with the bodies of dead soldiers.  It was very uncomfortable and dark but it made the point perfectly. It got me thinking about war and other events that sacrifice the lives of innocent people because someone is trying to prove their worth or "manliness".

Because I was sitting so close, I saw subtle and incredible acting.  Their facial expressions were so genuine.  They also had amazing vocal skills.  At the end of the show, the entire company belted a song and it sounded so beautiful and overwhelming that I got goosebumps.