Reviews

50 Shades of F****d Up

This musical parody of the infamous erotic novel ”50 Shades of Grey” is as much fun as you want to make of it.

Jenna Dallacco as Anastasia Steele and Ben McHugh as Christian Grey in 50 Shades of F****d Up at Sophie's.
Jenna Dallacco as Anastasia Steele and Ben McHugh as Christian Grey in 50 Shades of F****d Up at Sophie's.

The sounds of a woman being brought to orgasm fill Sophie's before the start of 50 Shades of F****d Up, yet another unauthorized musical adaptation of the massively popular erotic novel 50 Shades of Grey. It seems like it would be an apt choice on the part of the show's writer, director, choreographer, and costume designer Tricia Brouk and composer/lyricist Andrew David Sotomayor; after all, this is a story about one young woman's sexual awakening at the hands of a man who trains her in the dominant/submissive lifestyle. But that's the most titillating part of the 85-minute show, which (thankfully) chooses to take a route of humor as opposed to over-the-top sexuality.

Brouk's script follows the first book in E.L. James' trilogy rather faithfully, highlighting how ridiculous the prospect of a virginal college senior hooking up with a slightly older businessman with a penchant for kinky things truly is. The story — young, innocent Anastasia Steele (Jenna Dallacco) meets seductive Christian Grey (Ben McHugh), drunk-dials him one night, he takes her home, they engage in all sorts of sexual deviations — is even told in a fairly straightforward way. This actually adds to the humor, which springs naturally from this bizarre tale of confusion and finding oneself. Sotomayor's music is largely undistinguished, but the lyrics do, at times, become smarter than average.

This production wouldn't be half as enjoyable without its four-member cast, because it's hard to keep a straight face while watching the fetching and charming Dallacco and the tall, dashing McHugh engage in an energetic oral sex ballet, with limbs thrown about and screams of pleasure on musical melody lines. Krista DeMille and Cedric Leiba Jr. provide solid comic support (especially when the latter comes out sporting a gigantic crotch bulge). Sight gags, such as wild, exploding pubic hair, earn belly laughs. A two-member band, made up of Zach Orts on piano and Hiroyuki Matsuura on percussion, accompanies the actors.

Ultimately, 50 Shades of F****d Up turns out to be pleasingly juvenile, refreshingly not taking itself seriously. Brouk and Sotomayor just want to provide their audiences with a fun evening out. If you're willing to let yourself have a good time, you very likely will.

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