Review: Predator the Musical 2.0 (Roundhouse Productions)

Predator the Musical 2.0

By Will Bulka, William Stobb and Dave Krump
Directed by Derek J. Elstro
at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont (map)
thru July 7 | tickets: $20-$25   | more info

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A Roundhouse kick at the macho men of the 80s

Roundhouse Productions presents

Predator the Musical 2.0

Review by Clint May

Of course it’s goofy. It’s a musical based on the 1987 movie “Predator” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his most iconic roles. The movie’s concept (and thus, the musical’s as well) is simplicity itself and straight from the mind of a drunken frat boy brainstorming session: pit expert marines against an advanced alien life form. It’s not really a fair fight—the alien has some super-advanced abilities like a laser targeting gun and active camouflaging technology. This set-up is pure manly escapism. Predator: the Musical 2.0—Roundhouse’s reboot of their original production— takes the plot of the movie and grafts some now infamous Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker comedy (the creators of Airplane!) and a little bit of the less funny Wayans Bros bros (creators of the Scary Movie franchise). Understanding those two schools of comedy is key to understanding what works and what doesn’t in in this musical spoof that has some genuinely gut-busting moments interspersed with some that are merely grin-inducing.

Anyone familiar with the original movie knows the plot is less important than the tone, which was one of foreboding and suspense as the elite team must try to figure out what’s picking them off one by one in the jungles of South America. Unable to procure a copy of the film beforehand, I had to rely on my guest/fan and some web summaries to see how closely the farce followed. The answer is: very closely. The one strange and unnecessary addition involves an elderly Dutch (Sam Button-Harrison) relating his exploits to his grandson (Nicky Hilsen) in a device straight from The Princess Bride. The flayed humans from the movie now become a chorus of the macabre, helping escort the out-matched marines to their demise.

Song numbers are fewer and farther between than most musicals, and most of them are hard rock (though one was a rather soulful guitar number). Issues with volume prevented some of the lyrics from being comprehensible, but two numbers—”It’s 9:00 in Cincinnati” and “Jungle Heat”—stood out as hilarious both in lyrics and choreography.

Predator: the Musical’s humor, as stated earlier, hinges on its meta-comedy. I found the subtle “throwaway” lines the funniest, while the more obviously-meant-to-be-funny moments were a little too heavy-handed. This is where those two schools of comedy are most apparent. “Airplane!” was most funny when it took its absurd situations seriously, and casting serious actors in the lead roles helped immensely. “Scary Movie” was funny by not taking itself too seriously. Combining both styles in one production leads to an uneven tone, as though the three writers couldn’t decide which to adhere to and so just threw everything at the wall to see what would stick. That said, I was definitely surprised to find such an absurd premise actually getting me to laugh at its unsophistication and obvious love for its source.

Dutch (Cody Evans, also a Roundhouse co-founder) fills Arnold’s role with gusto and a thick Austrian accent that’s become shorthand for the muscle-bound maven. In an unusual twist, Predator itself is played by a woman (Glenese Hand) that adds some Coriolanus-esque overt sexual undertones to the hunter/prey dynamic. The large cast throws themselves wholeheartedly into the realm of the ridiculous and their energy is rather infectious, though I think a little less mugging for the audience would be preferable. Only Jenna Schoppe as the prisoner/refuge stood out with some real singing acumen in her “Jungle Heat” number, though I give the entire cast credit for their dance moves – the production could use more of that kind of spectacle.

One of the biggest problems in comedy theater is knowing when to stop, and at 2 hours the show could use some editing—particularly cutting the grandpa/grandson scenes—to avoid an intermission that interrupts the flow. Most cinematic comedies know to stay around 80 minutes for that brevity=wit formula that’s proved successful for so long. Perhaps if they mount a 3.0 version (I never saw the 1.0 for comparison), they’ll take that under consideration.

Rating: ★★

Predator the Musical continues through July 7th at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont (map), with performances Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays-Saturdays 7:30pm and 10pm. Tickets are $20-$25, and are available by phone (773-327-5252) or online thru PrintTixUSA.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at PredatorTheMusical.com. (Running time: 2 hours, includes intermission)