by Bekah Caden
Coming to Los Angeles after rave reviews out of Chicago and from across the pond, is Thrones! The Musical Parody.
We begin with a group of friends getting together to watch the latest "Game of Thrones" episode when disaster strikes - one of them hasn't seen a single episode. The friends decide to band together and tell a bastardized, fanboy version of the hit show. Each performer (Albert Samuels, Leslie Collins, Jordan Stidham, Chris Grace, Jessica Joy and Meghan Parks) impressively play no less than three characters from GoT and switches between them seamlessly. Utilizing a sparse and immensely creative set design (and props) they dive right into the raunchy humor with gusto.
As is true with most parody, it is almost essential that you experience the original work to appreciate the jokes and references. It's a bit ironic, and adds to the undeniable charm, that the premise is contradicted by the fact that much of the play could be lost on non-GoT fans. They'll understand the various other pop-culture references ("Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings", among others) and empathize with the friend group as they display with startling accuracy the behavior so recognizable in our obsessive binge culture. Being for fans only isn't a problem though when you parody one of the most popular pieces of entertainment ever created.
Witty and riotous, Thrones had me laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. Namely, the reenactment of the bloody "Red Wedding" with a fantastic rap and dance number, and the mocking of not only the characters from the show but the superstar actors as well. While the occasional one-liner fell flat, the longest joke was one of the best received and allowed the cast to parade their comedic talent. The inclusion of Hodor (one of the most beloved and tragic characters of the show) with the most solemn of the musical numbers was a wise choice, and quite haunting.
The love put into this production is undeniable. It's obvious that Thrones is a celebration by fans of not only GoT, but nerd culture in general.
Thrones! The Musical Parody is playing now at the Hudson Theatre Mainstage through April 30th. Click
here for show times and tickets.