broadwayacr

I have admired Bo Burnham since he was 16 and I was 22. At the time (and still), I was teaching 16-years-olds how to write music; but for me, Bo was a source for my own study. His wit, his timing, and his absolutely genius writing was simply something I had never seen before in lyrical form.

Bo started out as a giant: and still he continued to grow. This show is, simply put, masterful. It is laugh-out-loud funny, it is surprising, it is honest, and simultaneously real and surreal. Bo: my hat is off to you. Please keep doing exactly what you're doing: and please keep surprising us with something different.

I just got back from seeing an advanced screening of this film, and have to say that it was one of the most original pieces of film and music/opera that I have ever experienced. I was literally on the edge of my seat throughout most of the running time! The movie featured truly excellent performances by virtually the entire cast (even Paris Hilton, to my own amazement), but as far as I'm concerned no performance was as incredible as that of Anthony Stewart Head, who truly stole the show (which, in this movie, was a difficult and remarkable feat).

The music was absolutely incredible -- an incredible display of the very best that Gothic rock music has to offer. Although I could have used a little more continuity in musical thematic material, the only real issue I had was with the lyrics, which were very simple (particularly in comparison to the rhythmically and harmonically complex musical accompaniment). Also, I didn't feel like the lyrics were set particularly well melodically, with a few notable exceptions. But on the whole, this lack of lyrical complexity didn't really matter -- I wasn't conscious of it all that regularly.

All in all, a definite recommendation for anyone into the goth-rock scene, and isn't afraid of a little gruesomeness!