American Psycho: The Musical bursts on the stage with a vengeance fueled by 1980s excess. Originally produced in 2013 the musical has lost none of the sharp satirical views on consumerism that were explored in Brett Easton Ellis’ 1991 novel or the subsequent 2000 film, which starred Christian Bale.
On a scale of gore and entrails the stage musical actually has the least amount of actual violence or bloodshed when compared to the movie or book. Even so there is stage blood all over the plastic raincoat that Patrick Bateman wears in his apartment. When Bateman is not wearing his haute couture suit he, and the rest of the cast, are cavorting around in their underwear. One character not in the novel or the movie is Bateman’s mother.
The concept lends it self to the musical template. After all Bateman is a connoisseur of Phil Collins and Huey Lewis and the News. In addition to an excellent score by Duncan Sheik, with book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, the play incorporates a handful of golden oldies from the 1980s such as “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Hip To Be Square,” “In The Air Tonight.”
The latter song is known for the “gated reverb” of the drums but in American Psycho the Phil Collins anthem is transformed into something even more ethereal. Performed by the entire cast, the harmonies are sublime. It might be one of the best covers of a classic rock song I’ve ever heard.
The lobby of the theater is transformed into a Mom and Pop video store where Bateman would presumably rent such ’80s films as Rambo III, Xanadu, or Buns of Steel. Throughout the play Bateman makes an excuse to leave by saying he has to return a video he rented.
Sheik’s original tunes are worthy on their own displaying a fine sense of duo and trio voices intertwined and sung by Bateman and his various girlfriend/victims. Sheik, a Tony winner on his own (Spring Awakening in 2006) pens songs that stand alone with lilting melodies.
The design deserves its own accolades. You could stage Shakespeare with this proscenium plan with its balcony and main floor surrounded by exits and entrances on all sides. At times the entire cast and ensemble assembles on the second level and bottom level to belt out a song in beautiful harmony. Just as fast the stage transforms into multiple video screens that project countless images of the era or forming artful designs like blood red crosses.
The humor is not lost that the play while gleefully entertaining goes deep into the disturbed mind of a social misfit who brutally kills people in his own mind. Robert Lenzi perfectly encapsulates the personality of a successful investment banker who lacks empathy while being obsessed with his own self-importance. As much as he flaunts his ripped and cut physique Lenzi has the thousand-yard stare of a lost soul.
American Psycho runs at the Hobby Center’s Zilka Theatre until Sunday, September 14th.