I Sort Of Enjoyed It

September 11, 2016

I Sort of Enjoyed It (Josh, Dyan, Sheridan)When one comes across a show entitled I Sort Of Enjoyed It, which played recently at the Metropolitan Room, a lot of things come to mind before the show actually begins. Are the creators providing the first or last line of a potential review? Are they setting themselves up for a fall? Are they trying to be humble and at the same time lower expectations? What is the “it” to which the title refers? What I did not expect was that the title would be an overstatement of my reaction to it.

It turns out that the “it” refers to our very own New York City, and it turns out that the creators and cast of the show—Dyan Flores, Josh Kight, and Sheridan Stevens—sort of don’t enjoy it much at all, as they told us in song after song, all written by the trio. The opening number, “New York City Makes Us Sad,” not only underscored that point, but in its presentation (as a nursery rhyme-like round done a cappella with the three jumping up and down like children) it also underscored the amateurish, naïve, collegiate attack that was present for the majority of the show. The lyrics and the melodies felt like first drafts that should have been subjected to a lot more work, and perhaps a dramaturg, to shape the material into a more sophisticated, polished presentation. At their best, the melodies were echoes (to use a kind word) of William Finn, Alan Menken, and (to the point of potential litigation) David Yazbek; at their worst, they reminded me of the “self-taught” keyboard work of such musical luminaries as John Tesh and Barbi Benton, where simplistic, flowing chords were the order of the day. The lyrics showed that a rhyming dictionary had been close at hand, but the rhymes, while accurate, remained flat and uninspired.

When composer/lyricists sing their own material, the awkwardness and lack of style can sometimes have a charm all their own, but that was lacking on stage. The book, for want of a better term, eschewed direct patter and, instead, took on a plot of sorts about deciding whether to stay in irritating, depressing Manhattan, but the three performers delivered the dialogue in a stilted, award-presentation stage-speak that made one long for a song to appear. The show attempted a kind of Merrily We Roll Along plot following three friends in the city—this time told forward rather than backward, and without the benefit of Sondheim songs.

The funny material fell flat too much of the time, and the attempts at adult (read “sexy”) songs resembled little kids talking dirty and pretending to be grown up. A song about a potential threesome resorted to lines about “adding another hole.” A “wistful” song about small town life was so insubstantial it seemed to disappear as we were listening to it.

Time and money and incipient talent obviously went into this production, but this is a lesson in knowing when something is ready to move on to bigger things and when it’s not. I am often amazed at how productions get so far, when someone could or should have stepped in and said “Slow down, there’s more work to be done before this is ready to be put in front of an audience that is paying to see it.” This is true of movies, of Broadway, of cabaret. It is most certainly true of I Sort Of Enjoyed It. In this instance, perhaps in some small way I can serve that function.

Metropolitan Room – August 24

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About the Author

Gerry Geddes has conceived and directed a number of musical revues—including the Bistro- and MAC Award-winning "Monday in the Dark with George" and "Put On Your Saturday Suit-Words & Music by Jimmy Webb"—and directed many cabaret artists, including André De Shields, Helen Baldassare, Darius de Haas, and drag artist Julia Van Cartier. He directs "The David Drumgold Variety Show," currently in residence at Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, and has produced a number of recordings, including two Bistro-winning CDs. He’s taught vocal performance at The New School, NYU, and London’s Goldsmith’s College and continues to conduct private workshops and master classes. As a writer and critic, he has covered New York’s performing arts scene for over 40 years in both local and national publications; his lyrics have been sung by several cabaret and recording artists. Gerry is an artist in residence at Pangea, and a regular contributor to the podcast “Troubadours & Raconteurs.” He just completed a memoir of his life in NYC called “Didn’t I Ever Tell You This?”