BWW Reviews: NOBODY LOVES YOU Makes World Premiere at The Old Globe

Whether you are a fan of reality television or a vehement opponent of it, NOBODY LOVES YOU at The Old Globe is the musical for you!  Running through June 17^th this fun and energetic musical pokes fun at the “reality” in reality television and the idea that love can make you act just as foolishly as any manufactured situation.

The story follows Jeff (Adam Kantor), an academic who is studying ontology- the study of reality versus perception – and joins his ex-girlfriends favorite dating reality show in order to get her back.  As he tries to dispassionately observe what’s going on around him (as research for his dissertation) he meets the shows assistant producer Jenny (Jenni Barber), who is just as fed up with “manufactured reality” as Jeff.  In the end, can real love come from a situation that is almost all artificial?  Can anyone really resist the lure of fame?

Joining Jeff in this reality endeavor are the stereotypical characters producers love to cast on these competitions.  The vastly different contestants range from a drunken party girl Megan (played to the hilt by Lauren Molina), the devout but conflicted Christian- both his name and his belief- (played by Kelsey Kurz), Dominic who thinks every girl is crazy (Alex Brightman) and a sweet schoolteacher Samantha (played by Kate Morgan Chadwick).  Rounding out the cast is Byron, the ultimate smooth and charming reality show host (Heath Calvert) and the obnoxious producer Nina (Nicole Lewis).

Adam Kantor is charming as the contemptuous Jeff, who is incredulous that anyone would buy into this premise of “reality television”.  He makes it believable that a television show would choose him and that he would stay on the show: if only to expose the show for how ridiculous it truly is and to gather data for his studies.

Jenni Barber does a good job with the role of Jenny, which is hard considering the character is not as zany as the rest.  Her desires to peruse her dreams and not get sucked into the shows hijinks make her much more rooted in reality but makes it less fun for the audience to invest in. 

Alex Brightman is a scene stealer as he jumps into three different characters: Jeff’s stoner roommate Chazz, the commitment phobic Dominic, and the nosy, Twitter addicted reality junkie and Jenny’s roommate Evan.  Evan’s “The Twitter Song” is fun and is one of the highlights of the show.  As he bounces around in a royal blue “one piece of Norway” sweat suit you can’t help but think that this must be how everyone over a certain age pictures the people that use Twitter.

Heath Calvert is perfect as the handsome yet vapid reality show host.  He makes him somehow likable, even though he is clearly out of touch with the world outside of television and with big words like “metaphor”.   Calvert is the ultimate charming and funny host and he made me (for a moment) want to watch a reality television show; but only if he was hosting.

The light rock score suits the show, but the songs for the reality show are standouts.  The theme song for “Nobody Love You” and the “Crush Ceremony” are particularly funny and apropos.  Jeff and Jenny meet cute with “So Much to Hate” a song sharing everything that annoys them in life and on this show.

Another song highlight is “Come on In”, a song set in a hot tub room between Megan and Christian.  Molina and Kurz are hilarious in their duet and Molina is especially entertaining as the girl who can’t understand why Christian is resistant to her charms.  Their other duet “Matthew Four” is hilarious and highlights their obvious differences in life and attitude.  Since it is not the first Bible passage that people would think of in that situation, Christian is explaining it to the audience as much as to Megan.  Yet it feels genuine as it leads to an important and moving moment.

The co-creators, Gaby Alter (music and lyrics) and Itamar Moses (book and lyrics) made this a fun and frothy show set in a show that is a mash up of every dating show airing on television.  The premise of their reality show is so ridiculous and over the top that it would probably do fairly well on television. This show is presented in the round, which must have initially been a challenge to director Michelle Tattenbaum.  Her direction is subtle and helps make each character seem more than just a stereotype, which serves to underscore just how crazy all of the over-the-top everything else in the “reality” show truly is.

NOBODY LOVES YOU cleverly pokes fun at this (my) generation’s idea that fame, no matter how empty, is the path to love and happiness.   No matter your age or your feelings on reality television this show is very entertaining. 

For more information on tickets please go to www.theoldglobe.org or call 619-234-5623. Show times are 7pm Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8pm Thursdays and Fridays, 2pm and 8pm on Saturdays and 1pm and 7pm Sundays.  The running time is 1 hour, 45 minutes with no intermission.

Photo credit: The Old Globe Photo by Henry DiRocco.

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