Gushing blood, sexual violence and mysterious creatures filled the world of Bat Boy, this year’s main stage musical. The show, performed this past weekend in Tansil Theater, tells the strange and twisted tale of a creature born half-human and half-bat, forced to live in solitude in a cave in rural West Virginia until he is found by the inhabitants of Hope Falls. Through a series of comedic and tragic events, we watch as he tries to assimilate into normal human society, being constantly rejected by those around him and making the audience question who the true “beasts” are in the story.
For a show with a plot as bizarre and foreign as this one, the performance itself was incredibly full of human emotion, relatable characters and heartbreaking tragedy. Although watching a group of woodland creatures engage in sexual promiscuity or a bat boy sucking the blood from a dead cow head was extremely disturbing, the production pulled the audience so deeply into this world that we were able to accept the unconventional plot for what it was. The large musical numbers, often involving the entirety of this twelve-person cast, were by far some of the strongest moments of the show. The power of those twelve voices singing at once was truly overwhelming and the songs themselves were poignant and memorable. In particular, “Comfort and Joy” was the final song of Act I and was intricately staged and sounded utterly brilliant, leaving the audience thirsting for more. The accompaniment of the talented orchestra heightened the drama with frequent use of electric guitar to bring this rock musical to life.
This being said, the show itself is at times poorly written, repetitive and in need of some critical editing. Many scenes of dialogue or flashback sequences felt long and had a strange tone, often taking topics as serious as rape extremely lightheartedly. Great credit is therefore due to the cast of Bat Boyfor making the audience thoroughly believe in the story, despite the obstacles. Ethan Underhill ’15 was captivating in his powerful yet gentle portrayal of Bat Boy, transitioning seamlessly from the adorable, ignorant, feral creature to an intelligent, troubled young man. His portrayal evoked frequent tears from audience members as he played the challenging role with touching honesty and respect, along with an absolutely stellar singing voice.
Photo taken by Andrew Nathanson
Grant Jacoby ’13, Talia Curtin ’13 and Leila Teitelman ’15 beautifully made up the Parkers, a family with a dark secret who graciously accepts Bat Boy into their home. Jacoby impressively portrayed the show’s greatest villain with a warped cruelty that was consistently chilling, flashing a perverted smile in the face of death, rape and destruction. Scenes in which whipped out his infamous syringe were disturbing and thrilling at the same time. Opposite him in the role of his wife, Curtin was tender, loveable and kind, but with moments of fear and fury so powerful that the viewers were left breathless. Her sincere performance of a mother torn apart by heartbreak, abuse and shame was incredibly stirring to watch. Finally, Teitelman filled out the family with an air of comedy and youth, transitioning from a naïve girl to a complex woman and touching many hearts as she closed out the show’s final, tragic scene, sitting among the dead bodies of her loved ones.
The whole cast must also be commended for their commitment to multiple, diverse characters in this production. In a move that was both practical and comical, many cast members played two to three characters, constantly rushing off stage with only seconds to change from one outfit to the other. Although changing clothes so quickly is difficult enough in itself, the cast was also able to make great alterations in terms of their characters’ personalities and mannerisms. Ryan Cameron ’12 must be specifically praised not only for his portrayal of Rick Taylor, but for his hilarious transformation into Lorraine, a role made all the more funny by the sight of Cameron in a dress and wig.
The stark contrast of these hysterical moments with the extreme darkness and perversion of prejudice, rape and death made this show as memorable and moving as it was. The production struck a perfect balance between the two emotions, evoking a truly visceral reaction from the audience throughout the show. Parts of Bat Boy made the audience break into bouts of laughter or quiet tears, or simply forced them to cover their eyes for a moment, finding it difficult to accept what they saw. Because moments of comedy were so quickly followed by inexplicable sadness, the sick irony was made even clearer. Although viewers may have been skeptical of the abnormal premise of this show, the audience certainly left feeling that they had been unexpectedly moved by the tale of a troubled, lovable Bat Boy.
