'American Psycho: The Musical' Comes to Broadway
Setting out to conquer the American theatre scene after it came out in London in 2013, the U.S. version of "American Psycho," which debuted on Broadway Wednesday evening, turned out to be a resounding success, despite some critical reviews.
On that evening, leading actor, Benjamin Walker, who portrays the young and handsome Wall Street banker, Patrick Bateman, turned up in a Kingsman-inspired suit by Mr. Porter who partnered up with "American Psycho" as the production's exclusive men's fashion partner.
"American Psycho" is set during the Manhattan Wall Street boom in the 1980s. Bateman narrates through prose and song both his mundane, everyday activities in the morning and his felony-committing evenings. "American Psycho" gives us a peek into the head of a murdering wealthy banker who is totally wrapped up in a world of brands and price tags, as well as being greatly riveted to material gain and superficial appearances.
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It also covers controversial themes relating to drugs and extreme violence. There is a disturbingly large serving of murder through rape, not to mention torture and cannibalism. It is indeed the dark and sadistic sort of portrayal of a Wall Street banker which seeks to condemn the shallowness and viciousness that come with capitalism.
Critics have disagreeing views on the musical. New York Times' Ben Brantley has this to say, "Though it often looks as carefully and cosmetically arranged as a window at Barney's, Patrick's favorite store … 'American Pyscho' is a mess. That's not because of all that sloppy, sloshy blood, but because of its terminally undecided tone."
But Melissa Rose Bernardo of Entertainment Weekly believes otherwise. "If you can resign yourself to the story's innate ambiguity, you're in for a perversely enjoyable experience." In comparison with the London production, she pointed out that the show "… has gotten a lot bloodier. It's also gotten a lot slicker, sharper, faster, and funnier."
"American Psycho" is based on Bret Easton-Ellis' best-selling novel of the same title published way back in 1991. The show's music and lyrics were mainly written by the Tony-and-Grammy-awards-winning composer of "Spring Awakening," Duncan Sheik, and directed by an equally award-winning director, Rupert Goold.
The play sparked some concern and comment among young men of Wall Street on whom Bateman's character is based.
Scott Jacobs, 29, "I hope the traits of Patrick Bateman are not indicative of what I'll become. I actually get offended when people give investment bankers a bad reputation."
Another young man, Shrivastava, 27, from Wall Street commented, "More than anything it's sad, but it's certainly healthy to get the perspective.
Opening night brought celebrity guests as including Christian Slater, Calvin Klein, Tituss Burgess, as well as Molly Ringwald.
Starring alongside Walker are actresses Alice Ripley (Mrs. Bateman), Helene Yorke (Evelyn Williams), including Tony nominee Jennifer Damiano (Jean), as well as Krystina Alabado (Vanden), and Anna Eilinsfeld (Victoria). Other actors also on the show are Dave Thomas Brown (David Van Patten), Jordan Dean (Luis Carruthers), and Theo Stockman (Tim Price), with Drew Moerlien (Paul Owen) making it his Broadway debut.
