Theatre Review: ‘That Was My BOOMSTICK!’

Note: This review was posted on the KC Stage review system.

Evil Dead: The Musical, book and lyrics by George Reinblatt and music by Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris, George Reinblatt (based on the movie The Evil Dead, written and directed by Sam Raimi and executive produced by Raimi and Bruce Campbell); directed by Steven Eubank. Produced by Egads Theatre (Kansas City). First produced 2003. (Seen November 6, 2010.)

Campy is good — in regulated doses. From the opening strains of “Cabin in the Woods”, Evil Dead: The Musical shows that this is not going to be a serious show. And for the first act, for the most part it’s a fun romp. The whole cast is excellent and does a great job, but special kudos have to go out to Sam Wright as “Ash”, as most people familiar with the movies this musical is based on remember Bruce Campbell more than any of the other actors. From his winning smile to his pratfalls, Wright is able to take the part and make it his all the while still leaving room for Campbell fans to be happy.

The ‘inside jokes’ to the movies were awesome (and I wonder if it was the script or directing choice to have the book Cheryl decides to read be Bruce Campbell’s If Chins Could Kill autobiography — which, by the way, is a great book to read).

My only complaints with the show is that it ran a bit long (with most of the slowness in Act II), and some of the songs — most notably the various “Look Who’s Evil Now”‘s and “All the Men in My Life (Keep Getting Killed By Candarian Demons”) — just don’t play very well. But I put that on the script itself and not on the actors or director. Also, for a show that warns about ‘lots of blood’ and has a ‘splatter zone’, it wasn’t nearly as bloody as I was hoping/fearing it would be.

Good show and good job to all.

Evil Dead: The Musical closed on November 6.