I’m not afraid to admit that I don’t think 50 Shades of Grey is horrible. I’m not going to say it is fantastic, but I think the book is a watershed item in culture, it had a definite (predominantly positive) effect on growing sexual understanding and awareness and was (in spots) fairly hot.
Of course, when something is popular or controversial—or both!—inevitable copycats come along. Personally speaking, the copycat I like best isn’t really a copycat at all. Instead, I love parodies! Despite the fact that most parodies are shallow and limited, I still love finding comedic, witty, clever retellings of “classic” stories.
So after listening to my colleague Bryen’s interview with Emily Doreezas, Writer/Producer/Touring Director of 50 Shades! The Musical—The Original Parody on Sex City, I set out to see the show because it sounds funny and slick.
And it certainly is!
Because so many parodies really are lacking, I didn’t have a lot of hope. I hate to admit it, but this is how I felt. 50 Shades of Grey is an almost too easy prey for humour. The books have been skewered beyond repair, so I was curious what new laughs this production would bring to table.
Turns out, they bring lots. Plenty of clever lines, creative and effective casting, brilliant songs and a great use of minimal staging. I laughed out loud numerous times throughout and sometimes that was just at the voiceover instructing us about intermission. And that is key. The production goes to great lengths to ensure the audience is fully engaged and pulled into the performance. There are a number of instances of characters directly interacting with the audience. At one point some of the audience get up close and very personal with an intimate moment between two of the characters. And every time the audience engaged us, we ate it up.
Not only do the performers engage with the audience, they engage the originating text to a tee. The good and the bad. There are many references, within the storyline, back to the book with a sly wink and smile. Most are entirely overt, but I also picked up on some subtle, yet hilarious, references. Maybe I’ve spent too much time reading about these books!
One (odd) critique I have of the show: For some reason, in two instances, the writers seem to think that fisting only happens to asses. Certainly, it can be part of ass play, but I’m sure that fisting is more often done to a vagina. Just a minor thing.
I had a fantastic time checking out the production of 50 Shades! The Musical—The Original Parody. We laughed a lot and were consistently surprised by the quality of the writing. Don’t be afraid to get roped into…coming!
