Fun Aplenty Civic Theatre Faces Challenges In Delivery Of Rock Songs, Faux Shakespearean Script Of Sci-Fi Musical

“Return to the Forbidden Planet” Friday, July 14, Spokane Civic Theatre

On one hand, the Spokane Civic Theatre’s summer show, “Return to the Forbidden Planet,” proves that high-spirited, pop-culture romps can be good summer fun.

This sci-fi musical version of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”- by way of the 1950s B-movie, “Forbidden Planet” - is full of campy pleasures, including such faux-Shakespearean lines as, “What light through yonder airlock breaks?”

At another point in the proceedings, after a long discussion about how the monster represents the “id,” someone pronounces: “Beware the ids that march.”

Playwright Bob Carlton’s dialogue is full of these kinds of clever groaners, and he has also done a seamless job of working old ‘50s and ‘60s classics such as “Gloria,” “A Teenager in Love” and “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” into the plot.

On the other hand. … This production also proves a few other things, the chief of which is: Rock ‘n’ roll is not easy to sing.

This show has 21 great songs, but only a handful are sung with any amount of confidence or soul. On opening night, many songs began tentatively and off-key and failed to build much from there.

Janean Jorgensen, as the science officer, was able to infuse her songs (“It’s a Man’s World” and “Go Now”) with the earthy blues feeling that this music requires.

And Rohan Flinn, as the robot Ariel, truly let loose with raucous abandon. His big showstopping number, “Who’s Sorry Now,” was easily the high point. And this from a young man who is only a high school sophomore.

Unfortunately, his song demonstrated only too clearly what most of the others were missing.

It did not help, by the way, that the musical accompaniment was not exactly what you’d call rockin’. There was a guitar, but it was in the background in arrangements heavily dominated by keyboard. “Born to Be Wild” as a piano tune? I don’t think so.

The other thing this production proves is that Shakespearean dialogue is tough to master, even faux-Shakespearean dialogue. I missed many of the jokes, I think, because the lines were delivered without the crispness and rhythm they require.

Jhon Goodwin as Captain Tempest, who is usually in total command of his roles, seemed particularly tentative on opening night. On top of this, the amplified sound system was acting up. A number of lines, including a chunk of Penny Daniels’ well-done taped “newscast,” were lost altogether.

It didn’t help that the characters had little to do on the stage. Director John G. Phillips decided, wisely perhaps, not to have the actors play all of the instruments, the way some productions of this show have done.

But now many of the characters have nothing to do for long stretches other than sit with their backs to us, pretending to be operating spaceship control knobs.

Also, the show has a surprisingly small amount of dancing, so the the entire production seems a bit static.

Despite these handicaps, the show still manages to provide plenty of pleasure, especially in the more energetic second act. It’s worth seeing just for the wonderful word play, the clever twists on “The Tempest,” and the gun battles involving toy ray guns.

And any musical that manages to get “Good Vibrations” and `The Shoop Shoop Song” into the score automatically has its quotient of fun.

“Return to the Forbidden Planet” continues this Thursday through Saturday and also July 27-30 and Aug. 3-5. For tickets, call 325-2507.