Michelin wasn’t the only game in town Tuesday night.
While Atlanta’s restaurant community buzzed with news of the city’s first Michelin stars, “MJ” — the Broadway telling of the Michael Jackson story — opened to a near-capacity crowd at the Fox Theatre.
So what’s the takeaway on the jukebox musical?
Credit: Matthew Murphy
Credit: Matthew Murphy
“MJ” succeeds in revealing the genius of Michael Jackson — the prodigious singer, songwriter, dance maker, video innovator, fashion provocateur. But it does precious little to illumine the soul of the troubled artist, who left an indelible mark on 20th century pop culture before his untimely death at 50. Cause of death: drug overdose.
Make no mistake: “MJ,” which arrived on Broadway early last year and is now on its first North American tour, is a spectacular show. Christopher Wheeldon, the British dance luminary, directs and choreographs masterfully, embellishing the King of Pop’s iconic movement vocabulary with balletic grace and street-smart sizzle.
The band is fire, and the production designers are rock stars, too.
Derek McLane’s scenery, sumptuously lit by Natasha Katz and peopled with the costumes of Paul Tazewell, effortlessly transports us from the Jackson family home (where young Michael was allegedly abused by his father) to Motown, Studio 54, and MJ’s legendary stadium extravaganzas. Peter Nigrini’s mesmerizing video projections and Gareth Owen’s sound design further enhance the experience.
Roman Banks, in the title role, lands a spot-on performance; his MJ is soft-spoken, childlike, funny and mischievous at times.
Credit: Matthew Murphy
Credit: Matthew Murphy
The problem here is Lynn Nottage’s flat-footed book, which imagines Jackson in the throes of creating his “Dangerous” tour. Much to his chagrin, an MTV crew is filming the scene. As interviewer Rachel (Mary Kate Moore) tosses the occasional question to her begrudging source, we get a half-baked account of the Jackson biography. No scoops.
If you followed the man and the myth, you know there were at least three men in the mirror: the adorable kid who fronted the Jackson Five (”ABC,” “I’ll Be There”); the still-wholesome, early-career hit maker; and the final incarnation, pale and spooky.
All three show up here. As the character known as Michael, Brandon Lee Harris plays mid-cycle Jackson; Josiah Benson and Ethan Joseph trade off performances as Little Michael. (On Tuesday night, Joseph played Little Michael, to wonderful effect.)
Often, as the story unspools as flashbacks, MJ shares the stage with one of his younger selves. Until you adjust to this conceit, it can be a bit confusing.
While Rachel gently suggests to Jackson that “there are a lot of strange stories making the rounds,” and there are glancing references to his pet chimpanzee, Bubbles; the oxygen chamber; the nose job(s); the skin bleaching; and the pills, the musical omits the more unsavory details of his life: the accusations of pedophilia, his sordid death.
No wonder. Look carefully at the title page fine print and you’ll see the notation: “By special arrangement with the estate of Michael Jackson.”
In attempting to pack in nearly every song from the Jackson catalog (40 musical numbers are listed in the program), the 2 1/2 hour-show feels bloated, the second act interminable.
Still, there are grace notes: Beaten by a bullying father (Devin Bowles), Michael takes refuge in the arms of his mother (the lovely Anastasia Talley). The song “Human Nature” gives me goosebumps every time.
In the end, “MJ” has moments that are thrilling, dangerous, electric and poignant. But by design, its enigmatic central figure remains masked and muzzled.
THEATER REVIEW
“MJ”
7:30 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. $39-$200. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 855-285-8499, foxtheatre.org/mj
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