Due to COVID-19, I was kind of reluctant to get on the downtown train toward Times Square this week, but I went anyway. I was excited to see Girl From The North Country on Broadway because although I am not a big fan of Bob Dylan’s voice, his lyrics are pure poetry, and always a treat to hear. I thought this show would be the perfect opportunity to hear his words without hearing him 😂.
What’s Girl From The North Country on Broadway about?
The setting of the show is a Depression-era boarding house in Duluth, Minnesota. It took a while for me to discern where the story was headed, and even when I did, I still couldn’t really figure out the point of it all. Basically, it tells the sad tales of the family members who own the inn, and all of the people who frequent it. I think it is meant to be just a snapshot of what life may have been like for some people during that time period.
It is important to know that this show is more like a straight drama with music than a musical. The tunes are really only included to enhance the atmosphere; they set the mood of the story, but do not advance the plot in any way.
Special note:
Shout out to Matt McGrath who played the Reverend. I didn’t realize it was you during the show, but when I saw your name in the Playbill, it brought me back to the M11 bus on weekday mornings in the 1980s. My girlfriend Chitra and I used to wait with baited breath for the adorable “Little Matt” to join us on the way to school. 😊
The Music
- As mentioned previously, IMHO, the words of the songs are the reason to buy tickets for Girl From The North Country on Broadway, but the lyrics are irrelevant to the plot.
- Dylan’s instrumentals and Simon Hale‘s musical arrangements are amazing. Also, they are consistent with the flavor of the story.
- I especially enjoyed the few times when the ensemble performed a cappella; those moments were the high points of the show for me.
- The entire cast had exceptional singing voices.
- The standout vocalist for me was Jeanette Bay Ardelle who plays Mrs. Neilson, the innkeeper’s mistress. I thought she was incredible!
The Book
- None of the many characters and story threads was fully developed.
- I did not have an emotional connection to any of the characters, so wasn’t very invested in their outcomes (which is good because many of their issues remained unresolved.)
- I found the dialogue contrived and slow
- The story was often dull and my mind wandered regularly
- The script, IMHO, was disjointed, confusing and scattered. It was too long and left many loose threads at the end.
General Impressions:
- The mood of the show is bleak. All of the characters are sad, lonely and angry people who are connected by a shared misery and happenstance.
- Trigger warning themes include dementia, alcoholism and drugs, developmental delay, abuse and sexual harassment, abandonment, adoption, racism, poverty, death of children, and unfaithful husbands.
What’s the bottom line?
- If you love Bob Dylan’s music go (unless you are a purist).
- See Girl From The North Country on Broadway if you enjoy period dramas.
- Don’t go if you are looking for a true musical or even a jukebox musical because this is neither.
- Don’t bring young kids. There is NOTHING for them in this production.