Sally Spectre The Musical

Sally Spectre The Musical At Theatre West Reviewed by Iris Mann October 29, 2009 The premise underlying this metaphorical musical—namely that, to be truly free, we must face our fears and plumb our depths to resolve the traumas that have damaged us—is certainly worthy of exploration. Unfortunately, the symbolic vehicle that author-composer-lyricist-director David P. Johnson employs to express his sentiment is never engaging enough to make it hit home. One must care about the protagonist and her plight in order to appreciate the lesson she has to learn, but that level of involvement is never achieved. Sally (Rebecca Lane) has been a prisoner of her own making for 50 years in one room of an abandoned Victorian home "somewhere between New Orleans and Purgatory," though her prison is actually her state of self-deception. The deadline for solving the riddle of the room is upon her, and she must call to mind what she is most afraid to remember. There are hints of the trauma she cannot face, including a hatchet embedded in her head and momentary flashbacks that involve a bad man, her mother's scream, and her door starting to open. Nero, the clown (Adam Conger); Bartholomew, the toy soldier (Matthew Hoffman); and The Wraith (Rob Monroe) are among the figures that populate Sally's room, but it gradually becomes clear they exist only in her mind. Lane's performance is critical if the audience is to be drawn into the conflict. However, while she jumps and spins around the stage in mock-childish fashion, she gives little hint of the dark pain and sinister secrets her character represses. Several of the actors who surround Lane do good work, but their moments are isolated, and the play never comes together as an integrated piece. The score, which is largely derivative, does little to enhance the action, although Conger and Hoffman have a few nice turns in sections of their musical numbers. The show is billed as "A Children's Horror Story for Adults," but the horror of Sally's self-imposed imprisonment never comes across, so the possibilities inherent in the situation Johnson has created remain unfulfilled. Presented by News of Spite Productions in association with and at Theatre West, 3333Cahuenga Blvd. West, L.A. Oct. 16–Nov. 29. Fri.–Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. (323) 851-7977. www.theatrewest.org.
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