Hansel & Gretel: A Wickedly Delicious Musical Treat (Original Cast Recording)

I just listened to the score, and have to say I wasn't all that impressed. Written by Justin Roberts for Emerald City Theater out of Chicago, the score is light, pleasant, pop-oriented, and - to put it kindly - simplistic, with rhymes and melodies tore right out of a 90s boy band ethos. Based upon the plot outline included in the booklet, the story is a strained modern re-imagining of the Grimm fairy tale, with a city of vanished children, a troll, a protective ghost Mother, and a potion-seeking witch (played a la "Hairspray", by a man sporting a thick, faux-German accent). I imagine it played well in a live setting with the bouncy, easy-on-the-ear music and tongue-in-cheek fun evidently being had by all the performers, but on its own, the score's deficiencies are greatly amplified, with the banal lyrics and repetitive, often bland melodies undercutting any enjoyment to be had. Power ballads ("Together" "I Would Have Been Lost" "I Am Always Near") are shallow and at times sound disturbingly like left-over One Direction tracks, while the more uptempo numbers sound eerily like cuts from better artists ("Crumb by Crumb" piano opening taking its cue from Billy Joel's "My Life" for example). On the whole, it reminded me of any number of school-composed musicals, stitched together by eager young thespians who haven't taken the time to study the masters and hone their craft. I imagine the show could have some traction on the community theater circuit, but judging by the score, it never aspired to be more than that.

This one has a lot of catchy tunes, and is great for a younger audience while still being enjoyable (but not fantastic) for adults. Lyrics at times are a bit too clichéd and simplistic, but ultimately it's all still entertaining. I could have done without the faux German accent for the witch character (female role played by a male ala Matilda and Hairspray characters), but all in all, this seems like it would be a very fun production to put on, and likely plays better 'seen' rather than just heard.

A+