Gil Hates Everything

This musical was apparently inspired by the author’s encounter with a pay-toilet in Europe. (There are also, you may wish to know before you travel, pay-turnstiles at London train station toilets.)

How to describe “Urinetown”? It somewhat reminds me of “Evil Dead – The Musical” and also of “The Threepenny Opera”. At the start a narrator answers questions from a cast member and dumps what’s cheerfully described as “too much exposition” on the audience. Then we’re off into a futuristic fable in which the use and reuse of water is strictly governed, and even peeing is monitored, and people are threatened with being deported to the never-seen-but-greatly-feared ‘Urinetown’ if they break the law. In the first act the story looks like it’s going to be straight out of “We Will Rock You”, i.e. a stupid pantomime. But happily (or unhappily I suppose) it all changes in a distinctly shocking way in the second act, and by the time we get to the end there’s a definite squirminess to it all which will have you closely examining what the message of this story really is.

What I really like about this show is the sneaky use of straightforward music and ironic musical forms to force you to listen to the words, which in turn are intelligent, not just funny. “Don’t Be The Bunny” and “Snuff That Girl” are standouts for aficionados of twisted humour. “Run, Freedom, Run!” turns into an epic gospel number which it would be amusing to imagine sung in a church without anyone knowing its provenance. On the downside for repertoire-builders, very few of the songs seem like they would work outside of the show. But eh, some shows are like that.

Listening to the soundtrack will totally spoil the plot for you – because the closing number is basically the narrator dropping another bunch of exposition on you – so it’s up to you whether you listen to it before seeing it. But I’m making a definite recommendation for at least the soundtrack. This show was done in Vancouver just before we got here, it seems, but I’d be up for seeing it again if it comes round. Distancing and a little horrible and coldly using and misusing humour to make its point, “Urinetown” is an entirely worthwhile modern musical, the snappy definition of which is that some people will tell you that musicals aren’t supposed to be like this. Rubbish. It has a definite reason for existing, and it’s good. So fuck off, Grandad ;-)

Random Panda awards “Urinetown” eight out of ten pieces of bamboo.

PS I understand from reviews that the show’s Broadway choreo actively spoofs lots of other musicals. I’m not sure I care for that – not that I usually care for choreo at all, you know me – but if you spoof something it had better be part of the intrinsic point of the show, as otherwise it’s the show’s creative team talking to the audience rather than letting the show do their talking for them. And I’m not clear on what part of this show exactly permits referencing other shows through choreo. Not that local productions are likely to use the Broadway choreo (there’s been legal action on that exact point, in fact) so I’m not sure why I mentioned it. Never mind me :)

(originally posted 2010)