Such Good Friends

"Today we are engaged in a final, all-out battle between communistic atheism and Christianity" - Joseph McCarthy

This address made my Senator Joseph McCarthy launched the terrifying and destructive "McCarthy Era" attacks upon many US citizens. It is one of several parts of our country's history that we'd rather ignore, but Such Good Friends puts the era in the forefront of a new musical, and shows the massive impact it had on these citizens, and especially those in the entertainment industry.

Dottie Francis (Liz Larsen), Gabe Fisher (Brad Oscar), and Danny Factor (Jeff Talbott) have been best friends ever since they all met in a comedy club years ago. They've worked together to achieve their dream: "The Dottie Francis Show" on television! Dottie stars in it, Gabe directs it, and Danny writes for it. They all enjoy it, and are not afraid to invoke political satire that shows how ridiculous the McCarthy hearings are. But what happens when the three of them get called before The House of Un-American Activities Committee? In these days, anyone who didn't cooperate was sent to jail, and was then blacklisted from all television. Will they crack under pressure? Will their friendships remain intact? And most importantly, how will their lives be impacted?

Its two acts are quite distinct, as the second act is much darker than the first, in terms of both tone and mood. The first act focuses on the production of "The Dottie Francis Show," and establishes the friendship of the 3 main characters, while the second act begins with their testimonies in front of the committee, and follows the aftermath. It is effective that the relationships and general happiness of the characters are clearly established, so the audience truly grasps what is being destroyed. The show successfully portrays the tensions, paranoia, and general injustice associated with the McCarthy Era. The story becomes quite moving, and it's certainly hard not to shed a tear.

The score is a vital part of the show, as sparse dialogue is spoken between the musical's many songs. The music certainly captures the '50's sound, but, more importantly, as the show's tone changes, the songs are similarly altered. The music of the first act is generally upbeat, bouncy, and fun, while the songs become more solemn and slower in the second act. The score also succeeds in creating a motif that pops up every so often and is distorted, depending on the current events of the story. It first appears as an early song in the show, appropriately titled, "Such Good Friends," a song establishing the deep friendship between the three main characters. But as their relationships are stirred, the music reflects the differences. The theme creeps in every so often as a reflection of the current, changed state of their relationships. It is a prime example of truly using music to further explore the drama.

A great performance is turned in by Liz Larsen as Dottie. She lands her jokes, conveys her emotions, and belts out her songs. Jeff Talbott gives a heartbreaking performance as Danny, and sweetly, yet chillingly emotes his 11 o'clock number.

Such Good Friends has picked a wonderful topic to bring to the forefront of a musical: The McCarthy Era. It was a dark time for our country, and one that I'm sure tore people apart. Such Good Friends will leave you contemplating several issues as you exit the theatre, something that seems to be rarer with newer musicals these days.