And The Not So Great . . .

On Thursday night, we saw Fela!--a new musical that uses Afrobeat music (a mixture of jazz, funk, and African rhythm and harmonies) to tell the story of Fela Kuti's controversial life as a Nigerian artist, political activist, and revolutionary musician. It was certainly an experience for all the senses. The Eugene O'Neill Theater has been transformed by colorful banners, African artwork, and multi-media screens. The on-stage band provides driving music for the exceptionally talented cast of brightly-clad dancers who never seem to stop moving. The actor playing Fela tells his story with energy and emotion. Somehow, it just didn't add up for me, though. The attempts to engage the audience fell flat in such a large, crowded theater--how can you be expected to move and dance when the seats are squished into such a small space? After the first hour, I started to get bored with the repetitive choreography and the preachy, loud music, and all the multi-media effects were starting to wear thin. In fact, for only the second time ever, I actually left at intermission. Ann opted to stay, and she felt that it picked up a little in the second act, but not that much. This play has gotten great reviews and there is a lot of buzz surrounding it (Jay Z. and Will Smith are producers), but the CB's didn't enjoy it very much.