tick, tick… BOOM! May be TotoToo Theatre’s first production since the COVID-19 pandemic, but you wouldn’t know about their long hiatus from the incredible performance of their cast and crew.
TotoToo is an Ottawa-based theatre company that produces shows with LGBTQ+ themes and content, and I look forward to seeing their future productions, such as the upcoming Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
Before Jonathan Larson became the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer of the Broadway sensation Rent, he wrote tick, tick… BOOM!. The semi-autobiographical story follows Larson struggling to establish himself in the theatre industry as the clock ticks down to his 30th birthday.
tick, tick… BOOM! takes place in 1990 in New York city, during the AIDS epidemic, a time when Larson was losing several friends to the disease.The show is portrayed by two different three-person casts, cast “Tick” and cast “Boom,” in alternating performances from Oct. 26 to Nov. 4. I attended a performance with cast “Boom,” which featured James Maxwell Pettifer in the lead role of Jon.
Cast “Boom” of tick, tick… BOOM! at The Gladstone. Photo: Jayant Kumar/Larocque Photography.
Pettifer played Jon with perfect comedic timing, deadpan humour, and emotional depth. That being said, the role demands a very challenging style of singing that covers a wide range of genres, which occasionally proved difficult for the actor. It didn’t help that the production had challenges with the microphones cutting in and out and reverberating occasionally.
Ainslie Moors played the role of Susan, Jon’s girlfriend, and she often stole the show with her incredible voice. Her solo “Come to Your Senses,” was a standout performance that felt like a beautiful climax to the show.
Together, Moors and Pettifer sang the very challenging duet “Therapy,” which displayed their incredible chemistry and technical prowess. One of the funniest songs in the musical, “Therapy” pokes fun at “therapy-speak” and the way couples struggle to communicate.
Fans of the recently released film version of the musical, Tick, Tick… Boom! (2021), will be happy to see additional songs performed that were not included in the movie, such as “Sugar” and “See Her Smile”.
Some small criticisms of the performance include the very minimal choreography and lack of emphasis on the time period. The dancing at times was awkward and seemed low-effort, and the costuming and set seemed like they could have been from any era. I found it distracting because I am a big fan of the ’90s, and its fashion was very trendy, so I was looking forward to being immersed in the decade for the show.
Photo: Jayant Kumar/Larocque Photography.
But the positives of the experience outweighed my concerns, without a doubt. I really enjoyed that the band was on full display during the entire show as they performed on a platform above the actors on stage. All three actors did a great job playing off one another’s energy and engaging with the audience, including throwing Twinkies into the crowd (my friend caught one and I highly recommend trying to get one while you’re there).
If you’ve never seen a show at the Gladstone Theatre, the venue alone makes the experience of attending the musical worthwhile. The theatre has been renovated with Art Deco-style decorations, the seating feels intimate, and the lobby concessions have a great food and beverage selection available.
tick, tick… BOOM! is less about the plot, and more about exploring self-doubt and fear of failure while celebrating the determination of following your dreams despite all odds. The musical’s message that life is precious, and fleeting is even more significant knowing that the writer, Jonathan Larson, died 10 days before his 36th birthday, the day before the first Off-Broadway preview performance of Rent.
Whether you are already a fan of Rent, Tick, Tick… BOOM! the movie, or you just love musicals, I highly recommend seeing a performance of tick, tick… BOOM! while you have the opportunity.
tick, tick… BOOM! plays until Nov. 4 at the Gladstone Theatre (910 Gladstone Ave.). Shows are at 7:3-pm Tuesday through Saturday and 2pm on Sundays. Tickets and more information are available on The Gladstone’s website. The Gladstone has a barrier-free entry and accessible washroom. They do not yet have automatic doors.
There are accessible seating spots in the front row that may be removed for wheelchairs. With the exception of the front row, the seats are not overly spacious. If you are big and/or tall, an aisle or front row seat is recommended. Call the box office to request big and tall seating. The Gladstone is a scent-free space.
