CYCLOPS is missing more than one eye...

It was missing more than one eye; the ‘great reviews and buzz’ and the motivation behind it genuinely concern me... This is the latest production from Rabbit In A Hat for the 'original' musical-play, written, directed, and starring Paul Van-Dyke.

The plot is basically the secret fantasy love-life of a psychiatric patient called Ballor (Neil Napier). Set in two worlds: the so defined as 'real' world and Ballor’s imaginary 'fantasy' world. The play attempts to explore how mental illness can distort reality into something grotesque and or absurd. The original script fortunately allows the audience to decide which is which.

I barely smiled let alone laughed during the 70 minutes. In fact the sporadic laughs heard throughout the theatre were as inaudible as the lyrics in the songs; which were clever. The instrumental live music to often overpowered the lyrics (of which I could only catch every 4th word) and songs were occasionally delivered off key; in a musical this is unpardonable! Always mike your vocalists!

Was pleasantly surprised to see Neil Napier in this production. Although he is well cast for the part, and he did his usual stellar job, the material was beneath the caliber of his talent. The rest of the cast, with the exception of course of PVD were less than adequate, delivering lack luster performances with little energy and believability.

The production was in dire need of an extra EYE... that of an experienced director. Although PVD the performer does successfully reinforce our fear of clowns, and his physical timing spot on most of the time, there was an obvious lack of basic direction when it came to the other players and overall production. It took over half an hour into the play before the audience obviously started to appreciate what was being presented. Pacing was off, blocking was sloppy and transitions were anything but seamless.

So what does all the positive 'buzz' really mean? The players themselves are very popular no doubt. Material and a concept in and of themselves, regardless of how original they present themselves as being, should not have to break all the rules and basic principles of a musical production; Never cut on the quality and content and delivery of that material.

A very ambitions project to be sure, it would have been much more appropriate if it had been scheduled as a part of the Centaur's children's series. Would they (children aged 10+) have understood, the worlds PVD creates here. Surely we're not smarter than our 5th graders when it comes to something this simplistic. They would have been far more appreciative and forgiving than this theatergoer to be sure.