The most surprising thing about Jerry Springer: the Opera is that you actually feel for the guests who are sharing their "Guilty Secrets" in this through-sung cultural study. Like the show on which it's based, the show finds new ways to shock with each succeeding scene, and it's so filled with obscenity-laced speeches I haven't been able to tweet my favorite lines. Set to operatic voices and musical theater themes heightens the absurdity and the hilarity. It also adds a level of cultural criticism that makes for a brilliant work and a particularly brilliant production.
The first act plays out as a somewhat typical episode of Jerry Springer with a number of soliloquies--or arias--that give a more rounded (though still funny and intended to shock) portrait of Jerry's guest. These moments humanize the guests, which is something the TV show is not all that concerned with. At times is does feel a little derivative (Is there much difference between the dancing KKK and dancing Nazi's in The Producers?) The second act, "Jerry Springer in Hell" takes place in, well, hell. Satan is having family dysfunction issues with Jesus and God, and Jerry is the person to help them work it out.
The second act rises and falls on whether you can accept that Jerry might be having a little crisis of conscience of his own. I've always found the second act to be less rich than the first, but Springer in Hell is still a great ride. I'm always left with the sense that the creators, Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee--are a little too satisfied with themselves.
It's the second act, of course, that brings out the protesters. Thomas has always seemed a little disingenuous when he says that they're criticizing something they haven't seen...and if they only would they'd understand. True, they'd understand that the show takes on issues of faith in over-the-top ways. But they'd also see Jesus hanging out in a glorified diaper, God having his own crisis of faith, and the audience chanting "Jesus is gay." etc. This is not a show for the devout and probably not one for the young.
But these are quibbles in an otherwise amazing production. The intimacy of the Roberts Studio Theater at the Boston Center for the Arts is perfect for this production--a large-scale show in an intimate setting. This is a rare treat. A small section of the real audience is seated on stage and mixes with the Springer audience in a way that enhances that intimacy.
The cast is uniformly excellent. Michael Fennimore does a superb job channeling Jerry, and Ariana Valdes and Joelle Lurie are particularly strong in a variety of roles. Even those with the smallest roles have moments in which they stand out.
I have owned the recording of Jerry Spring: The Opera for some years. I've always felt a gap in my arts education because I hadn't seen a production of it. Now, I have, and I can't imagine a more solid production.
Note: It would be nice, SpeakEasy if you'd allow us to embed your video and images in our blogs. This time I'll give you a shout-out and point directly to your site. But let's be more social networking friendly.
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