Where I Watched It: Broadway HD
English Audio Description?: No
Continuing to discuss the other streamers has led me to the legend…. The legend of the Toxic Avenger! In my free time, when I’m not reviewing films and yelling at the wind about audio description and accessibility, I work in live theater. So, I’m a fan of shows like this. It’s not a big Broadway smash, but it has its fans along the lines of Evil Dead: The Musical. It also has a female lead character that is blind! So if there was ever a musical to take that plunge on, it would be this. If the industry feels the need to use blind character played by non-blind actors, the least they could do would be to attempt to make it accessible for those who are actually blind to watch the not blind person run around on stage, right?
I mean, can I get an Amen up in here?
Sadly, that’s not the case. This musical chooses to have gurgling noises at the beginning for what seems like an eternity as I assume opening credits play for those who have been blessed with sight. The rest of us, it just sounds like diarrhea.
But, while this show definitely takes a hard left from the original Troma project, it’s a lot of fun. It’s packed with jokes, and not all at the blind girl’s expense. One of my favorite moments was when a character, very stereotypically gay, stops mid-song to flirt with someone in the audience like he just saw them on Grindr. The jokes come in song form, and just with really quick lines. It might be the story of an unlikely man who becomes a hero, but it really just is an opportunity to be silly on stage and in song.
There’s a song, Thank God She’s Blind, which would seem problematic, but it’s hilarious and works where it is. i have a sense of humor too, and it’s not at her expense. It’s that Toxie is horrifically mutated at this point, but the girl he’s always been in love with can’t see his deformations. If anything, it’s a song that is a testament to that whole seeing inner beauty thing we always claim is real, except here, the ableist stereotype of the blind girl works not as the joke, but as the manifestation that the good guy that was always inside is still there. It’s oddly complex for this musical set in Tromaville.
My one disappointment is that the musical spends SO MUCH time with the lead relationship that there isn’t much room for campy mutant violence, like there is in Evil Dead. Though, i will give props to the Brad and Janet scene, for a very solid reference. Still, I wanted more mayhem, and a little less love.
What did i miss without any audio description? I’m glad you asked. I have no idea what Toxie looks like either before or after mutation. The costume and character design is totally lost. I also have no idea what the set design is like for a town that is supposed to be heavily polluted and falling apart. Really, sometimes I’m not even sure where a scene takes place. There are some jokes that are clearly sight gags, but without audio description, missed opportunities.
The deal here is, I’ve targeted Broadway HD for my ire because live theater has realized they need to provide audio description. I have theatres in my area that are starting to offer it, so likely professional productions are doing it. Why is Broadway HD not using the stuff already created? Apathy? ignorance? I’m still waiting on a response.
This is a fun musical, and I’d still recommend watching it over listening to the cast album because the book has so many laugh out loud moments, as well as lots of character and story development. it’s more than just a few great bangers. This is a very underrated show. now, just make it accessible, and stop thinking that blind people aren’t interested in live theater.
Final Grade: A-