Timely Stephen King novel comes to life
Review of "Carrie" the musical
In the midst of the Tyler Clemente Rutgers bullying case, I attended a matinee performance of the revival of “Carrie” at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.
Stephen King’s classic 1974 book begins with merciless bullying of high school student Carrie White at the hands of her classmates. How timely the story seems now that the media is filled with stories of young people suffering the effects of bullying and harassment from their classmates.
The original 1988 musical was a flop, closing after only five performances and several previews. In this rendition, the first two numbers are terrific and I wondered why the show hadn’t succeeded the first time. The show opens with a wonderful number, reminiscent of "Spring Awakening" called “In,” about teenage angst and the need to be normal to fit in and remain inconspicuous. Then Carrie (Molly Ranson) makes her first appearance.
Although she’s 17, Carrie gets her first period and is totally ignorant about menstruation. She’s in pain and hysterical about the bewildering bleeding. Rather than show her sympathy, the girls in the locker room tease and mock her mercilessly. With a nod to modern times, the girls immediately tell the story to everyone via email and Twitter. It’s horribly cruel and again, one thinks immediately of the bullying that has become so familiar in the news.
Sadly, the girl finds no solace at home because her mother, portrayed by the superb Marin Mazzie, is a religious zealot. The musical offers some insight into the character who was by Carrie's father and is bitter toward men and the world in general.
Sue (Christy Altomare), a high school senior is so sorry about her behavior towards Carrie that she talks her boyfriend Tommy into taking Carrie to the senior prom. Talk about supernatural! The premise is totally unrealistic but we'll suspend belief. In another modern context, the story might have had a happy ending, but this is Stephen King, so the main character is not merely an average beleaguered teen; she possesses incredibly strong telekinetic powers.
