It's time for my review of Head Over Heels.Despite the fact that Head Over Heels has received mostly negative reviews, a number of people have recommended it to me, declaring that despite having one or two flaws it is highly enjoyable. As a result, I decided that it was worth giving this show a try. For the first time ever, I attempted to use the 'rush' feature on the TodayTix app, where you can gain tickets for shows by being the first person to select this show by 10 A.M. Luckily, I was successful in this attempt which allowed me to see Head Over Heels!
Head Over Heels tells the story of a royal family that must embark on an extravagant journey to save their beloved kingdom and find love and acceptance. They will soon find though that everything, and everyone, on this expedition is not quite what it seems. The story is loosely adapted from The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, a 16th-century prose poem by Sir Philip Sidney. I personally was not a major fan of the book, which makes an attempt at combining the music of new wave band 'The Go-Go's' with early modern English. Whilst I do admire the ambitiousness of this storyline, I personally felt that it did not entirely work. In all fairness, one reason as to why the book may not have been my cup of tea was due to the fact that it did not appeal to my personal sense of humour. There are certainly many people who will find Head Over Heels funny; after all, there were people around me in hysterics. However, if the jokes do not appeal to you, then there is a small amount of the show left to be enjoyed. Having said all of this, I did like the overall messages that Head Over Heels leaves it's audience with. This musical shows us that anybody, no matter what their race, gender or size, can be beautiful. Whilst this message could have been delivered a little more subtly, I still appreciated its importance.
This show is yet another of Broadway's juke-box musicals, featuring the songs of The Go-Go's, a band that I had not previously heard of prior to entering the Hudson Theatre. The music was not personally my taste, however I have heard a fairly positive response to the score of Head Over Heels, so it appears I may in the minority with that particular opinion.
The strongest aspect of Head Over Heels is undoubtedly its stellar cast. The entirety of the cast are all extremely talented; each and every single one of them brought something special to the production. They all have such a tremendous amount of energy, helping to create a fun atmosphere. Whilst the material of the show was not to my liking, I simply cannot deny that the cast are excellent.
On the creative side of the show, it is faultless. The costumes, which have been created by Adrianne Phillips, are utterly delightful. They are everything that they need to be: bright, fun and colourful. The lighting, designed by Kevin Adams, is also rather impressive. It is used effectively throughout the musical, particularly during the scene where silhouettes are created behind a large sheet. The choreography, by Spencer Liff, is also brilliant, with all of the dance sequences being delightful to watch.
The featured star of Heave Over Heels is, drum roll please... ANDREW DURAND!
Andrew Dunard, in his performance as Musidorus, is utterly hilarious. Despite the fact that for the most part the show's humour did not appeal to me, Dunard's great characterisation of the nervous shepherd did make me chuckle.
Now for my final verdict on Head Over Heels. I give Head Over Heels...
Whilst I was not the greatest fan of the book and score, the show does have several redeeming qualities and therefore I award Head Over Heels two stars.
Think it should have got a higher rating? Agree with my rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.
Thanks for reading!
-The Reviewer
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