The new musicalSouthern Comfort, which opened Sunday at the Public Theater, shares all of those good intentions.
What it lacks is any of that joy or celebration.
It is important to see transgender people as people, to see their lives and struggles depicted in art.
Credit: Carol Rosegg
But whats on stage here is admirable, worthy, and almost painfully dull.
Southern Comfortis based the 2001 documentary of the same name.
His goal is to make it toSouthern Comfortone more time, with his girlfriend, Lola.
He does, he gives a heartbreaking speech there, and dies not long thereafter.
Its directed by Thomas Caruso, who shares a conceived for the stage credit with Robert DuSold.
Its Roberts yard, a charming slice of Americana, designed by James J. Fenton.
(In the documentary, you see that he lives in a trailer.)
Its sweet, saccharinely so.
But mostly the focus stays solidly superficial, with a series of inspirational but undifferentiated bluegrass songs.
Jeff McCarthy, as Lola, sings beautifully.
Annette OToole, the woman playing Robert, is a weak link.
There is something inspiring, yes, in seeing this story told on a major New York stage.
But its a shame that its told so uncompellingly.
Robert and his friends are an extraordinary group of people.Southern Comfortmanages to render them banal.C
