Bye, Bye Big Guy

Description
*** [THREE STARS] Michael Slade, David Evans and Faye Greenberg's strenuous musical, a twisted take on the world of fairy tales, takes us to the funeral of the beloved dwarf Rumpelstiltskin, with guest appearances by such mourners as Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel and the three blind mice. When this musical spoof relaxes, its charming and quirky numbers have a chance to shine, thanks to lively performances by the entire cast (which recovered brilliantly from several potentially show-stopping wardrobe snafus at the performance I attended). Playing various characters from the Grimm library, Carly Jibson steals the show with expert comedic timing and an exceptional voice. But the show often feels like an overlong "Saturday Night Live" sketch. It’s hard to be funny, and the harder "Bye, Bye Big Guy" tries, the less funny it winds ups.--Shauna Cagan, Production Coordinator