Glitz. Darkly Comical. Undeniably Campy! These are the descriptions I would use to describe the darkly magical splendor that is “Death Becomes Her.”
The ideas of eternal beauty and mortality coupled with a fantastic feminine feud to the death (well, actually, they can’t die) have never been paired so well, and it will forever shine brightly upon the Lunt-Fontanne stage. Yes, it’s another film adaptation which we all know are done to death, however it’s one of the freshest ones to come into existence at least since, in my opinion, “Mean Girls.” No one’s being all too precious with the original script which is the best thing one can ask for for any screen to stage project, and with a newcomer like Marco Pennette connecting the plot threads to this new incarnation makes it even more thrilling and hilarious than before. Pennette knows how to craft many a clever joke and a beautifully weaved narrative with nothing seeming to be missing, but his quick-to-the-punch zingers are what got really me. I could listen to them over and over if I wanted to. And let’s give some applause to newcomers Noel Carey and Julia Mattison for penning what I am certain are to be the newest bangers in many a nightclub and powerhouse ballads in many an audition room. There may’ve been a song or two I could’ve lived without, but hey, the rest of this score is just as clever, campy, and vocally ravishing to bare ears too;i t really is a hilarious rocker of a score.
And if we’re talking about baring any of our other senses, let’s also bare our eyes at some fantastic production elements such as some future Tony-winning costumes with enough sequins to blind you entirely, gothically divine atmosphere and ambiance provided by lighting, and a huge round of applause to some fantastic tricks and illusions only one could think CGI can pull off (I was in laughing awe at many of them). Scenic design felt kinda meh for my liking and the staging and choreography while cool at many points, felt very discombobulating (there tends to be a lot to look at onstage that can be overstimulating), but that’s okay because you’ve got some of the best talent on Broadway to make things a bit more digestible while still keeping you hooked onto the action and story. Your guide through it all: the alluring and mystifying Michelle Williams who beckons you in and refuses to let you leave; she is certainly giving a performance of vocal prowess that is to die for, and thank goodness this incarnation gives her character much more to work and sing with than in the film because it would be a shame to let such talent be used only once per act.
However, the musical’s key players: Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard. It is so hard for me to choose between these two women because each one brings it so damn hard to both iconic roles in their own special, unique, Broadway diva ways that it is so pleasurable and entrancing to watch them for 2.75 hours. Whatever work these two have made in developing their relationship has proven to be successful because the arc of it is so vivid and fleshed out to the max. Hilty with her elegance and bravado alongside Simard with her brassiness and sharp wits creates nothing but fireworks onstage, something that feels so rare between two leading players.
Yes, “Death Becomes Her” is truly a musical you would die for. It still has a ways to go before opening, and I certainly hope it continues to improve over previews because I do believe it’s a musical that should be among the best; I have high hopes that it does reach that level. And let’s also say that the Diva-off is getting intense this Broadway season, and I certainly can’t wait to see how it plays out in coming months.
