Personals - The Musical

The Maple Giant Theatre group has returned to the Old Fire Station, and also to a piece they have had past success with, Personals. It is a tour through the highs and lows of dating, as well as an exploration of the more bizarre and comic sides of that subject.

The book and lyrics are by the writers of the sit-com Friends and the music by an assortment of songwriters including Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. Unlike most musicals it is a collection of sketches and scenarios that paint a picture of modern New York dating with all its pitfalls and delights. A number of the characters place adverts in the personal columns of newspapers and wait to find love, but the results range from disappointing to downright strange. Some of the jokes seem way too obvious – dwarves, s and m, people suddenly announcing they are gay – and have been done better elsewhere. But there are also some genuinely good comic scenarios, including a polygamist whose spouses get together to confront him about the amount of time he spends with another group of people. There are also a number of sketches about a man who is learning what to do on a date by listening to self help tapes, which just end up turning him into a nervous wreck.

In its theme and some of its scenarios, Personals enters territory that the writers have already been to in Friends. Some scenes are ones that might easily have come from that programme – thirtysomethings who are scared of commitment and still trying to live like they did ten years before. Sometimes one gets the feeling that a musical from the writers of Friends should be funnier, which isn’t to say that Personals fails to amuse; it just might not live up to expectations.

The set is minimal with only the most essential of props being used for each skit and with a black background featuring the New York skyline drawn with chalk. It is refreshing to see a musical which is stripped back and sparse, not relying on lavish sets or sequins to grab the attention of the audience. There are some very strong performances and the cast of six do well slipping between different characters and moods.

The show’s music is generally good and includes a few songs that are excellent. Among these are Stephen Schwartz’s ‘Nothing To Do With Love’, Alan Menken’s ‘I’d Rather Dance Alone’, as well as ‘A Night Alone’ and ‘Some Things Don’t End’ (Schwartz), which aims to finish the show on a positive note that is not altogether convincing.

Maple Giant Theatre is committed to bringing local talent together to deliver cutting edge productions. Whether or not it is uplifting, it is an entertaining show, a musical with a difference, and a chance to see some highly talented performers.

Russell Thompson (Unverified), 10/10/07

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I watched the show last night and had a fab time. Although it doesn't follow the usual musical format, Personals was a fun musical taking us through the highs and lows of dating.

The music was catchy and full praise goes to the cast for their execution of the difficult songs and harmonies.

The acting, staging and pace of the show were all well excuted and ensured that a great night was had by all. There were many laughs as well as some lovely poignant moments too.

A great night out for both the girls and the boys.

Marvelous!

CJ Bear (Unverified), 11/10/07

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My expectations may have been lower than the reviewer's since I discovered that this musical precedes Friends - it was first put on in 1985. For that reason I saw it not so much as a scurrilous rehash of material but a chance to see the seeds from which the 6 familiar characters of Friends grew. Most of them are there: the commitmentophobe, the tidyness freak, the carefree philanderer, the geek... plus an impossible mother for good measure. Even where the script isn't so strong it's pleasing in much the same way as flicking through your boyfriend's childhood photos.

However, I thought more than half of the scenes were genuinely very funny. Individually there were some strong vocal performances and there was a palpable excitement in the audience whenever the 6 cast members sang together. As an New Yorker I would say that the accents were a bit ragged at times but never glaringly so.

As for the finish, I must say that the superlative stage kiss at the end was worth the admission by itself! I found that convincing and positive but it might just have been me!!

Samantha Wagner (Unverified), 11/10/07

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An absolutly amazing show which really made me laugh. The music was fantastic and catchy, with very talented singers. The show goes from very funny to serious, and there are parts which many people can identify with (not necessarily the scene which mentions the dwarf though!) I'd highly recommend it.

Mrs Ming (Unverified), 10/10/07

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