Musical adaptation is a bloody good time

By Sebastian Fryer
Western Herald

Photo courtesy of the Whole Art Theatre

Characters are mutilated, haunted, and dismembered – and the audience is laughing the whole time.  Welcome to “Evil Dead: The Musical.”

The musical, running from September 18th to Oct. 10 at the Whole Art Theatre in the Epic Center, is an adaptation of the first two films of the “Evil Dead” trilogy, and parts of the third.

It faithfully recreates the setting, characters, and feeling of the films, all while lovingly jesting at the films’ campy nature.

Imagine a “Saturday Night Live” parody of the “Evil Dead “(without the current stigma that the SNL name carries).  The musical delves into self-referential humor constantly, most notably when a recently-undead demon laments how a horror movie minor character never gets any lines.

It almost feels like a parody, but the way the cast enjoys themselves and goes along with the silly nature of the story, it’s always a homage.

The cast hold their own on stage, with each character being unique and hilarious in their own way.

Adam Carter, who plays the lead character, Ash, wears huge, eccentric eyebrows to capture the image of cult hero Bruce Campbell and growls one-liners left and right, pulling the role off all-too-well.  The supporting characters, which in the original films were nearly unmemorable, are now made completely unforgettable.  Director Randy Wolfe also brings to life the Candarian Demon Trees, based on the haunted woods of the films, and makes them a brilliant chorus that is always waiting for the ill-fated characters.

The special effects are hilarious and exaggerated, staying true to the films.  It’s strange to hear an audience both groan in disgust and laugh at the same time as blood continues to spill and spray around the stage.

The show is carried by an excellent score full of classics such as “All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Candarian Demons” and “Ode to An Accidental Stabbing.” The musical breaks keep the audience laughing and humming along.

The only point that noticeably differs from the source material is the ending, but it ties the story together well.

The Whole Art is a surprisingly small theater – about the size of a high school auditorium – but instead of hindering the production and performance, it only adds to it.

The do-it-yourself feel of the production adds an almost-personal feel to the event, and makes the audience feel like they’re a part of the experience.

Fans of the film will appreciate the running jokes of the show, but even those who are unfamiliar with the original can enjoy the riotously gruesome good time it brings.

Admission is $10 for students for two hours of solid entertainment.

Short URL: http://www.westernherald.com/?p=8427

Posted by HeraldAdmin on Sep 20 2009. Filed under A & E, Breaking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Cody Kimball
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