Credit: The Bushnell
Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve may have been the anthem of the Cruel Intentions movie back in 1999, but the musical by the same name, which graced the intimate Belding Theater at the Bushnell in Hartford Saturday night, is an ode to many ‘90s pop hits.
In fact, the musical based on the popular film seems to be more of an excuse to have a musical chalk full of ‘90s songs than a simple theatrical re-enactment of the movie. The story is a vehicle that creates an edgy platform to showcase these beloved songs. Striking a nostalgic chord for many audience members who grew up during the time of the dark romantic comedy, the musical makes itself more relatable by expanding beyond the concept of an adaptation and embodying an era.
From an impassioned duet to *NSYNC’s Bye Bye Bye between a closeted jock and his lover to a mother’s race-infused, hilariously over-embellished rendition of Scrubs by TLC sung to her white daughter’s black music teacher and suitor, the musical elicits a lot of laughs and singing along. While there were some elderly patrons and children in the theater, which was surprising due to explicit content from profanity to oral sex, the audience member were predominantly young adults who grew up in the ‘90s. So, this musical resonated with them, much like other modern musicals capturing the years of their youth – like Green Day’s American Idiot.
I Want It That Way by the Backstreet Boys, I’ll Make Love to You by Boyz II Men, Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Deep Blue Something, Sunday Morning by No Doubt, Torn by Natalie Imbruglia, and I’m the Only One by Melissa Etheridge were some of many crowd-pleasers, along with softer ballads like Genie in a Bottle by Christina Aguilera, Foolish Games by Jewel, and Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer.
While the words of the ensemble opening number get swallowed up by the dynamic on-stage band, visually the cast kept the energy up to make the introduction enjoyable.
Just a Girl by No Doubt was a recurring melody. Reese Witherspoon lookalike Annette Hargrove, the angelic, self-proclaimed virgin saving herself for love, sings it sweetly.
While the ‘90s songs are the crux of this musical, that’s not to say it strays from the story of the film it’s based on. It does the movie great justice, following the narrative of a sinister, incestuous step brother and sister duo that would do Game of Thrones’ Lannister twins proud. It’s a rare instance where we’re not rooting for our two main characters as they set out to antagonize the lives of vulnerable people around them who may or may not have caused them an annoyance out of revenge, boredom, and amusement. But we don’t hate them either.
Taylor Pearlstein has everyone wrapped around her fingers as Kathryn Merteuil, the manipulative, seductive most popular girl in school, who masquerades as a devout Catholic role model who turns to God, or rather her coke-filled cross necklace, in times of need. She is a captivating vocal badass, belting many gritty and powerful solos, like Bitch by Meredith Brooks. I’d go to her punk rock concert.
Jeffrey Kringer, clearly a Ryan Phillippe doppelgänger, is a transformative character as Sebastian Valmont. He goes from a flamboyant bad boy who wagers sex with his stepsister in a mission to deflower pure Annette to a love-struck teen with a conscience. Too little, too late. You can’t say the ending is happy, but there is redemption in it.
Dara Orland is uproarious as the stiff yet comical mother, Mrs. Bunny Caldwell. Brooke Singer is a smash with the physical and vocal comedy, playing her daughter, Cecile Caldwell. She has a way of infusing her songs with a nerdy, awkward caricature, yet maintaining tonal quality in her singing.
The set, designed by Jason Sherwood, is consistent. We see most of the story in Kathryn’s and Sebastian’s decadently gothic mansion complete with the iconic fainting couch. But sometimes we transition to other locales like Sebastian’s aunt’s house.
The production utilizes lighting to simulate the famous pool scene with Annette and Sebastian. The actors gracefully motion their arms as if swimming.
The show had a short run, closing last weekend at the Belding, so it’s a bittersweet goodbye. But while it’s Bye Bye Bye for this musical in Hartford, the Bushnell halls will be alive with The Sound of Music May 17 to 19. More information is available on bushnell.org. Happy hunting!
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