On the same day I endured the first act of the poorly performed A Free Man of Color, I saw another historical deconstruction: the Broadway transfer of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. The exaggerations, a mixture of character and caricature, in this one work. So I'll start by repeating part of my review of the Off-Broadway production this year: "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, written and directed by Alex Timbers, with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, is 18th Century history done in rock and roll played in 19th Century melodrama style with Brechtian influences. It's full of creative physical activity, jokes and songs in a psychedelic, anachronistic view of events. It's full of comic shtick and surprises, and stands on the shoulders of Monty Python. Creative choreography by Danny Mefford helps make this satire on politicians, politics and American history fly. Benjamin Walker, who plays Jackson, is a handsome, charismatic singer, and he and his surrounding gang of lively, talented comedian/singers/musicians give us an outrageous comic musical show with bold contemporary no-holds-barred splash. For me, the show worked better off-Broadway; this production seems to flatten the energy in the last quarter, after Jackson is elected president, and the joyful audience sounds popping out early in the show fade as it gets political and serious, and loses some of its early brash panache. All in all, though, a really good rock musical, with good performances, and plenty to keep a contemporary audience engaged and entertained. And since the off-Broadway version is no longer running, I'd suggest that you see this one. I'll bet you like it.
