A “bed trick” borrowed from Shakespeare’s Measure to Measure. A western setting. In jail, a murderer with less than a full deck is introduced in “The Ballad of Johnny Blood.” It’s the 1800s, “somewhere out west.” Some ladies see themselves best suited for the convent. Others feel the draw of the saloon and the oldest profession. Add in a drunken priest losing his religion. The Sheriff is handsome and a great guy, we reckon. Governor von Richterhenkenpflichgetruber (Nick Wyman, terrific) is in charge and possibly corrupt. So far so good !
A pile of fun songs nicely sung by talented cast. A book, however, which can’t quite nail the Shakesperean rhyming thing. Though you will hear Nietzsche rhymed with peachy. A missed opportunity for greatness but plenty to enjoy. I’ll pretend not to notice the elderly ladies who find a darkened theater the most natural place to go purse diving slowly and thoroughly, only to crinkle their wrappers and smackingly enjoy their treats more wetly and louder than you’d supposed was even remotely decorous. Seriously, it was annoying.
Back to our western, the “let’s put on a show” Desperate Measures. This new musical is almost unbelievably old school. Circa 1945, perhaps. She’s a nun-to-be, he’s a kind hearted Sheriff. Unfortunately we fall a touch short on chemistry (or possibly direction). If these roles had been played by Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, there might be musical comedy heaven created with this material.
Conor Ryan is dimwitted Johnny Blood and also a gifted comedic actor and outstanding singer, notably in “Good to be Alive.” Lauren Molina (Sweeney Todd, Rock of Ages) strips to “It’s Getting Hot in Here” and generally plays it big and Shirley Temple-flavored Mae West brassy. These two knock the show’s best number “Just for You” out of the park. At that moment Desperate Measures, the timeless (old?) musical, shines.
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