Musicals and pop-operas are not considered a well loved mode of theater. However, a musical with an intriguing storyline tends to have a better audience response. Add audience participation and the musical becomes a new thing in itself. Musical Comedy Horror Films like "Rocky Horror Picture Show" "Sweeney Todd" and even "The Nightmare Before Christmas" resonate with audiences after they leave the theaters.
Darren Lynn Bousman is a director on numerous Saw franchise movies, and created the musical horror film "Repo: The Genetic Opera". Cult horror musicals have created a following where audience members participate in the music and dress up, making it an event.
After Bousman created "Repo: The Genetic Opera" with Terrance Zdunich they postulated creating a sequel to "Repo". They used three stories from Aesop's Fables to create the artistic world of "The Devil's Carnival."
John (Sean Patrick Flanery), Tamara (Jessica Lowndes), and Ms. Merrywood (Briana Evigen) are introduced in a flutter of scenes. The audience is given a glimpse of their intense issues. John is having issues in a bathroom and we see him engulfed in grief over his son's death. Tamara is being pursued by her boyfriend, and he is seen with a gun. Ms. Merrywood is seen in her trailer with a bag full of stolen jewels. She is pursued by the police. As the intensity increases, we assume that each character succumbs to the drama and are killed.
As each character decides the scenes change in intense ways. John, as he slits his wrist, sees the devil and the room melts around him. Tamara's boyfriend shoots her through the window, but the car begins to freeze. Finally, we see Ms. Merrywood's trailer explodes in confetti and garish clowns drag her out.
As the musical continues we discover the three main characters are a part of the evening's performance including the other side show acts. The ringmaster discovers the three characters wandering around the carnival and informs them of the "666 Laws of the Carnival." The audience finds out that the sins the main characters are being relived in the carnival for all to make mockery and hopefully they will learn their lesson.
The Devil (Terrence Zdunich) decides to take part specifically in the night's festivities. He tells three Aesop's fables: The Dog and Her Reflection, The Scorpion and the Frog, and The Devil and his Due. Each of these fables typify the new arrivals to the carnival.
The Dog and her Reflection is about Ms. Merrywood. She commits the sin of greed and thievery, which is against the laws of the carnival. She is whipped in front of the crowd while the hobo clown sings "A Penny for a Tale." The song gives evidence of Merrywood's sins where her greed is never enough and led to her downfall.
This musical is definitely a lot of fun to watch. Bousman created the world of the carnival with lights and colorful painted animals, but with the glow of red all around. If the audience looks around and reads some of the signs, one can see that the lights do not change the fact that one is attending a carnival in hell.
One can dismiss this as a weird show or only for weird people: However, one cannot deny that the atmosphere and aesthetics of the carnival draw people in to the storyline. The music is catchy and the new arrivals in hell, although their backstory is a little short, play their roles.
Personally, I was a little wary when it first started. The opening song "Devil's Carnival" was off key and weird. However, some of the best shows I have seen start poorly. The world of the carnival was rich with colors and I especially loved the juxtaposition of red and blue colors within the world. The two songs I like the most were "Beautiful Stranger" and "Penny for a Tale." Beautiful Stranger is sung by Merrywood's copy (the carnie Twin morphs into a mirror of the character, or someone that would create the best psychological torture). Briana Evigen has an amazing voice and her facial expressions give her character a lot of range.
"Penny for a Tale" is sung by the Hobo Clown, who is played by Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch. The deep sultry voice of Moody gives the clown character real range. It looked like he had a lot of fun playing his character.
"In All My Dreams I Drown" is a song that was added to the credits where Tamara is singing with the Devil. It's a haunting tune that gives the idea her character will continue to commit the same sin of trusting men who just want to use her.
I highly recommend seeing this production, if not for the music, then to see the aesthetic of a carnival that would be run by the Devil. Historically, side shows and carnivals were considered a place of sinful fun. It would make sense that the devil would be running a carnival where his acts must perform over and over again reliving their sins they commit in life.
Rating: This show is definitely not for younger audiences. There are issues dealing with suicide, murder, and sexual encounters. There are innuendos throughout the production.
**Stay tuned for my review of Alleluia: Devil's Carnival (A review of Heaven, before the Carnival got off it's feet). Not everyone in heaven is good intentioned.
