Review: ANALOG AND VINYL at Broadway Rose

I can't adequately articulate the thrill of walking into Broadway Rose to see ANALOG AND VINYL -- my first in-person musical performance after 16 months of digital theatre experiences which, even at their best, don't hold a candle to the real thing.

A few of the things I hadn't realized how much I'd missed:

• Devoting my complete attention to something for longer than 2 minutes
• Hearing other people appreciate a clever line
• The idea that anything could happen at any time

Boy, did it feel good!

And ANALOG AND VINYL was exactly what I wanted to see. This lighthearted musical by Paul Gordon is pure entertainment -- it's uncomplicated, delivers some good laughs, and doesn't take itself too seriously.

ANALOG AND VINYL is about Harrison, aka Vinyl Boy, the owner of a financially struggling record store, and Rodeo Girl, a quirky young woman who has recently started hanging out at the store. One day, a mysterious stranger in a bright red dress walks through the door and offers to give Harrison anything his heart desires, in exchange for a price, of course. What is most fun about the show is that while the story is one we all know well, it still manages to be unpredictable.

The other most fun thing about the show is Jessica Brandes as The Stranger. Though it's the smallest of the three parts, The Stranger is by far the most interesting. She gets the best lines and lyrics, from snappy zingers to pithy expressions about the state of the world, as well as the best costumes (shout out to costume designer Allison Dawe). Brandes brings a lot of personality to the role -- the whole production lights up when she walks onto the stage and dims ever so slightly when she exits. If Gordon ever revisits the material, he should consider giving The Stranger more than 1½ songs.

Alec Cameron Lugo and Molly Duddlestein aren't quite as shiny in the roles of Harrison and Rodeo Girl. But that's partly the way the characters are written. They're just two regular people dealing with their stuff -- financial struggles, family issues, crippling insecurity. Harrison and Rodeo Girl may be unremarkable, but they're also exceedingly human.

ANALOG AND VINYL has its flaws -- the plot has gaps, the music and lyrics are often forced, and the central relationship lacks chemistry. But none of this matters next to the sheer bliss of watching live theatre once again. I enjoyed every minute of this sweet and easy show. You will too.

ANALOG AND VINYL runs through August 1. There are a limited number of live performances, with a streaming option available. More details and tickets here: https://www.broadwayrose.org/analog-vinyl/

Photo credit: Mark Daniel

To post a comment, you must register and login.