“Arpsnarpflarpbarpgarpnarpdarpmarp means, ‘I love you.’” If you’re an alien in Jonas Oppenheim’s debut musical Earth Sucks.
This latest stage play, from the award winning playwright, is a fun trip back to teenage love and an adventure with people from “a galaxy far, far away”.
“The story was inspired by The Carpenter’s song ‘Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft’ and David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust concertâ€, said Oppenheim, during an interview after Sunday night’s show.
A large cast, of over a dozen characters, are squeezed onto the cozy Art|Works theatre stage. Echo Bell, played by Emily Stern, is an all American teenage girl. She’s tired of her loser boyfriend, sick of home life and thinks everything on Earth basically sucks. With her head in the stars, she’s visited by a runaway rock band from space, the Citizens of Earth.
Echo quickly and humorously falls in love with the band’s lead singer, played by Lucas Revolution. Along with help from Echo’s scientist father, wonderfully played by Christopher Fairbanks, they battle the most feared woman in the universe, Ulinia Swords. Ulinia, played by Nakia Syvonne, is a misunderstood solo artist from space who has sold her soul to the devil or, in this case, to an evil alien. The alien, with an extremely oversized cranium and lust for fame and fortune, has brainwashed Ulinia and is set on enslaving the universe using her hypnotic lyrics and melodies. Earth is the next stop on her sinister tour and now Echo and friends hold the world’s fate in their hands.
Earth Sucks is a campy musical with solid performances in ridiculous alien costumes. The original music is filled with funny lyrics and dances, uniquely performed through a successful fusion of a live rock band and a musical cast.
“I thought it would be funny to have a real band interacting in the playâ€, Oppenheim said. Everyone, including the back-up dancers and stage hands, are interwoven into the plot so the audience’s attention is never pulled away from the story during song/dance numbers.
Another difference with this musical, compared to many, is that the majority of the songs have an alternative 80’s rock sound that Oppenheim explains, “come from old songs I had written over the past 10 years while in a band, but hadn’t used.†This gives the whole production an indie feel that is fresh and enjoyable to watch and listen to.
The story of Earth Sucks is decently paced and what it lacks in suspense, it makes up for in sheer wit. My only qualm with the play is, at times, some of the banter and campy dialogue feels a bit juvenile in its level of humor. The overall story wraps up so hastily and nicely for the good guys in the end. Even Echo’s long absent mother, who has nothing to do with the plot, makes a random call home to reconnect with her abandoned daughter in the final scene.
Some of the content and language would prevent this show from being considered suitable for children but I would gladly recommend it to anyone else, as a welcome escape from the daily norm and status quo of life here on Earth.
Art|Works Theatre 6569 Santa Monica Boulevard Hollywood, CA 90038
General Admission $25/Students $15
Oct 4th- Nov 2nd Fri & Sat 8pm/Sun 7pm
Get tix @ www.earthsucksmusical.com or call (323) 960-7744
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