Broadway has been adapting movies for years now, but who knew Troma Films' '80s cult classic The Toxic Avenger would be turned into a musical? Well, it has -- and The Toxic Avenger Musical sustains the cheesy lowbrow humor of the movie.
The play follows the plot of the movie fairly closely. In the highly polluted town of Tromaville, New Jersey ("if the pollution doesn't get you/the aroma will"), the corrupt mayor is storing toxic waste. Nerdy Mervin Ferd the Third wants to stop her, but her goons dump her in the waste. Melvin is turned into the Toxic Avenger ("Toxie"), a giant green monster who dispenses justice by brutally killing all polluters; Melvin/Toxie also has a crush on Sarah, who is conveniently blind.
As you might imagine, The Toxic Avenger Musical is about as sophisticated as a whoopee cushion -- and this musical revels in that. This musical has songs that include "Hot Toxic Love," "Thank God She's Blind" and "All Men Are Freaks."
The enthusiasm the cast brings to The Toxic Avenger Musical balances the relentless lowbrow jokes and lyrics. The end result is amusing, even if it can become wearying at times.For those who find the music of Broadway stuffy and elitist, this is about as far from that as you can get. (Sorry, Urinetown.) The Toxic Avenger Musical is crude, it's lewd, it's simplistic, and it's very often funny.
Overall grade: B-
Reviewed by James Lynch
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