Review: 'Blue Galaxy' mixes bad romance, sunny songs at Space 55 in Phoenix
“True trumps nice,” says the lead character in “Blue Galaxy,” and boy does she live up to her credo in this world-premiere musical from Space 55 Ensemble. And the same could be said for Valley playwright Kim Porter, who pulls no punches in this graphic tale about an overweight woman who insists on looking for love in all the wrong places.
GET SOCIAL WITH AZCENTRAL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
Lana (Libby Mueller) owns a vintage clothing store and spends her nights drinking at a retro music club called the Tiptop, where her childhood friends, Margie and Peggy (Marcella Grassa and Dilcia Yvonne Yanez), eke out a living singing the same songs that made them teen stars decades ago. The three share a troubled history that continues to shape (or misshape) their relationships. So when Lana meets a sweet comic-book nerd (Jamie Sanderson) whose romantic taste leans toward the Rubenesque, she keeps running back to the same bad boys who treat her like meat.
“Blue Galaxy” is billed as a musical, but it’s more properly labeled a play with music, as the songs, written by Roger P. Clark, are all performed within the context of the action onstage. A pastiche of pre-Beatles styles — girl groups, crooners, surf rock — the innocent-sounding tunes, including the fictional Della Rocca sisters’ hit “Plain Brown Wrapper,” make for an ironical backdrop to a story that’s anything but innocent.
The usual “alternative theater” descriptors — edgy, darkly comic — are drastic understatements for “Blue Galaxy,” which includes violence, nudity and simulated sex alongside more disturbing content that might call for trigger warnings, except that they would also be spoilers. It’s provocative, funny, brave theater.
Space 55’s shoestring production, directed by Duane Daniels, works effectively as drama, although the broad range of vocal talents — think Tuesday-night karaoke at your local bar — doesn’t do justice to Clark’s engaging songwriting.
“Blue Galaxy” would work even better if we saw just a little bit more of Lana’s charming qualities to balance out her anger and emotional hunger. As it is, we sympathize with her, but it’s still a lot harder to root for a happily ever after with the earnest young man who’s chasing her despite receiving rather cold encouragement.
WANT MORE ARTS?Tiny theater, big hustle: Space 55's 'Blue Galaxy' | Sean Astin coming to Mesa to play improv games May 5 at Jester'Z | Comic Paul Rodriguez: 'I'm not a vendido (sellout)'
The biggest issue with Porter’s script, though, is that it is a much more natural fit for the big screen than for the stage. The short scenes, sometimes depicting simultaneous action in two locations, are cinematic rather than theatrical, as is the way the play uses music for setting the mood instead of moving the action forward. Even Daniels’ dark, atmospheric lighting choices scream out for the option of quick cuts and close-ups.
Of course, a low-budget film is exponentially more expensive than low-budget theater. But hey, isn’t that what Kickstarter was invented for?
Reach the reviewer at kerry.lengel@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4896. Follow him at facebook.com/LengelOnTheater.
Space 55 Ensemble: ‘Blue Galaxy’
Reviewed: Saturday, April 30.
Continues: Through Sunday, May 22.
Where: Space 55, 636 E. Pierce St., Phoenix.
Admission: $15-$20.
Details: space55.org.