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Connor reviews the Broadway show Jagged Little Pill, a musical based on the famous album by Alanis Morissette.
Jagged Little Pill Musical Review
By Connor Upshaw
Based on the hit album by songwriter Alanis Morissette, Jagged Little Pill: The Musical by Diablo Cody tells a moving, relevant story about the impacts of childhood trauma. It is about the thoughts that people let fester inside– the dark parts hidden under a smiling facade. It does all of this while staying very close to the source material, with fantastic set design and choreography.
This was my first time listening to anything by Alanis, and the music itself is fantastic. Jagged Little Pill is what is known as a jukebox musical, in that none of the songs were written for theater. Despite the score being from an album, each song fits perfectly with the story in the same way as one written for theater might. It is also clear that the scriptwriters love the album and poured their hearts into making something that reflects Morissette’s vision. There are a few surprises for Alanis fans, but all are minor enough not to take away from the experience. My favorite example was with the song “Ironic,” which was made fun of due to the fact that none of the lyrics are actual examples of irony.
This musical’s set design was also very well done, even when compared to other broadway shows such as Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton. The sets made use of screens, background actors, and a wide variety of constantly switching props, going from busy city streets to classrooms to suburban homes. As for the choreography, it was genuinely incredible. The most memorable part was the song Uninvited, which depicts a drug overdose. The victim’s addiction was represented by a dark mirror of herself, the two fighting desperately as she struggled to survive. The imagery was brutal and powerful, which paired well with the ominous music. The show also uses impressive lighting, going from somber blue to deep, angry red to reflect the mood. The song You Oughta Know did this especially well, showing how betrayed and angry a character was with blinding red lights.
Image from Riccardo Hernández
As for the talent, they all did a great job both singing and representing their part. The characters felt real, which was due to both the excellent performances and scriptwriting. Each character is well-written, especially for being based on pre-existing songs. First, we have the mother, Mary Jane Healy. She is a classic example of the perfect stay-at-home mom, at least on the surface. She is overwhelmed by the many issues in her life, using her addiction to oxycodone to calm herself down. MJ’s husband, Steve Healy, also has his fair share of issues. His workaholic tendencies often keep him away from his family, so he was not there to watch his children grow. Then, there is the daughter, Frankie Healy, a teenage black girl raised by the Healys. She has a rough relationship with her family, constantly fighting with her mom and hiding her relationship with a girl named Jo. Finally, Nick Healy is MJ’s gifted son and most prized accomplishment. Throughout his whole life, he was pressured to be the best; his mother would not accept just good performance. He had to be the best at all his work, and he had to get into Harvard.
Image from a Deadline article
Each character is given a full arc, in which each has issues that they had suppressed and hidden from each other. All of the character arcs are well done if a little stretched at times. With so many plotlines and only a two-and-a-half-hour runtime, the story does not have much time to focus on any one character or plot line. Characters like MJ and Frankie get more focus than others, while characters such as Jo and Nick could have used more development. Other than that I have no criticisms. I especially liked how all the characters’ issues were bottled up over the course of the musical, finally being let loose in a dramatic and satisfying finale.
Overall, Jagged Little Pill was an enjoyable musical and one of the best I have seen. For fans of the album, this is a refreshing take on the songs. For those who are not, it is a fun musical with catchy songs and an engaging story. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who appreciates musical theater and a well-written drama.
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