B+
I will admit that I was skeptical when I heard that Michael Moore was coming to Broadway. Although I admire his films and agree with many of his social and political positions, I did not relish the thought of sitting through an evening-long polemic. Furthermore, anyone willing to pay Broadway prices [check Show-Score or Theatermania for discounts] to see him would no doubt already be a fan so I did not see the value of preaching to the choir. I am pleased to report that most of my reservations were unwarranted. Who knew that indignation could be so entertaining? Moore, with a substantial contribution by director Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening; Love, Love, Love), has cleverly assembled a varied evening that constantly shifts gears before it can become monotonous. There are reminiscences, send-ups, analyses, explications, an interview with a fellow activist and even a quiz show with audience participation. Yes, there are a few rants, but overall, Moore is considerably more subdued than I anticipated. I laughed a lot more than I expected to. This is not a bare-bones production. The set by David Rockwell (She Loves Me, On the Twentieth Century) has elements that pop up or slide in as needed. The huge American flag that forms the backdrop continually transforms with the aid of sophisticated projections by Andrew Lazarow (Privacy). The costumes by Jeff Mahshie (She Loves Me, Next to Normal) are clever. Although basically a one-man show, there are other people involved. The biggest surprise is a boffo finale that is as hilarious as it is unexpected. As to my qualms about the dubious value of preaching to the choir, perhaps there is therapeutic value to being surrounded by like-minded people and getting a well-crafted pep talk. Running time: one hour 50 minutes; no intermission.
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