Composer/librettist: Douglas Irvine. At: Bailiwick Chicago at Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted. Phone: 312-988-9000; $35-$45. Runs through: Dec. 12
There's no denying that the new British musical Departure Lounge is muddled mess. But at least it's a well-intentioned mess that is sure to entertain ( especially die-hard Anglophiles ) in this slick American debut production by the forces of the recently reborn Bailiwick Chicago.
Composer and librettist Douglas Irvine definitely displays loads of talent in this musical that focuses on four British 18-year-old lads who all took in a booze-fueled week in Spain. Stuck in the air terminal for their return flight, friendships are in danger of fraying as they all debate about what exactly happened on this inebriated holiday. All the while, the guys are also stressing about their upcoming exam results that will affect where ( and if ) they go to college.
Irvine uses his four-guy configuration to pen some very catchy boy band-type tunes with plenty of wry commentary ( all sung expertly by Devin Archer, Dan Beno, Jay W. Cullen and Erik Kaiko ) . But Irvine ultimately aims at too many targets.
There's crumbling friendships within the British class system, casually codified homophobic justifications for "That's so gay" putdowns, lingering British notions of Imperial superiority, and self-aware celebrations of cheap tourist packages that coddle and cater to British tourists. And throughout, there are plenty of jabs at the discount Irish airline Ryanair ( the show ends with a joke that will go over the heads of anyone unfamiliar with Ryanair's penny-pinching penalties ) .
While Irvine's choppy structure can sometimes be fun ( especially in the argumentative flashbacks and fantasy numbers as staged energetically, if often busily, by director/chorographer Tom Mullen ) , it all blurs into a back-and-forth whiplash.
Another problem is that Departure Lounge's characters are so initially unsympathetic ( they're analogous to obnoxious and loud American frat boys ) . And in the case of the closeted gay one, he's dramatically unconvincing.
Women also don't come off too well, with the bombshell Sophie ( a spot-on Andrea Larson, with looks and dialect ) emerging little more than an air-headed Aussie bedroom conquest. Perhaps if Irvine had collaborated with book writer, the show might have coalesced more competently with a consistent tone and more believable character developments.
Even through Departure Lounge's imperfections, Bailiwick Chicago lavishes lots of glossy attention on the show. Stretching from the sleek terminal production design to the very talented vocals and comic timing of the ensemble, Bailiwick Chicago puts on an entertaining show with an attractive cast.
Douglas Irvine definitely deserves another chance to write a better musical. Just look at Departure Lounge as a learning experience containing some brilliant bits mixed amid some storytelling stinkers.