"THRILL ME" IS NOTHING SHORT OF BRILLIANT!
William S. Rothstein | St. Petersburg, FL USA | 03/23/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If the concept of turning the story of an infamous murder into a musical sounds bizarre...then you are not alone. But, that is exactly what "THRILL ME-THE LEOPOLD & LOEB STORY" does...and with overwhelming success! Through this two-character musical play, with 15 paper-thin, piano-accompanied songs, we learn of the intimate intricacies of one of the 20th century's most heinous and pointless crimes-the murder of a young boy by a mentally abused young man, and his older, manipulative lover. On the surface, THRILL ME is a crime story, but as we listen to the story, told through music, we realize that the murder is the sympton...and the disease of mental abuse, homophobia, and compulsive love. The stage is set when Nathan explains his actions in the songs, "Why" and "Everybody Wants Richard," two upbeat numbers with lots of background information. The seductive romanticism of the gripping "Nothing Like A Fire" quickly gives way to the crime plan, sickeningly explained in the nightmarish "Roadster." As the play reaches its fevered pitch with the realization that the perpetrators are about to be discovered ("My Glasses/Just Lay Low and "I'm Trying To Think), the two actors-Matthew S. Morris and Christopher Totten reach brilliant heights in their singing performances. Do not let the subject matter dissuade you from experiencing this music- THRILL ME in no way glorifies the hideous crimes of Leopold & Loeb. This is not a testament to their lives, but more an indictment of the sociological elements that led them to their fate."
Haunting
Jordan Michel | Dallas, TX USA | 11/13/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I went to Uptown Players' (Dallas) production of Thrill Me last night not knowing what to expect. I'd studied "the thrill killers" in a psychology class in college and couldn't imagine what a musical about them might be like. But I'd read the rave reviews of the Off-Broadway production and didn't want to miss my chance to see the show.
The show is really not about the crime so much as it's about the relationship between the killers, Nathan and Richard. Richard is the type of guy who can get just about anyone to do whatever he wants. Nathan describes his seductive personality in what is, perhaps, the best song of the show, "Everybody Wants Richard." Nathan seems to be a victim of Richard's charm. And, it's this relationship that makes the show so engaging.
The music is beautiful and completely haunting. It's relatively simple, with only two vocalists and a piano, but it's really been sticking with me a lot more than most musicals I've seen. "Everybody Wants Richard," "Nothing Like a Fire," and "Thrill Me" are my personal favorites.
Generally, when I see a musical I like, I get the cd and listen over and over again. As I watched this show, however, I found it hard to imagine repeatedly listening to songs based on the true story of two killers. But the music was so good, I couldn't leave the theatre without buying a copy. There's one song, "Plan," that I usually skip; it discusses the crime in more depth than I really care to think about. "Roadster," the song during which Nathan lures the victim to his car is perhaps even more haunting, but too good to skip everytime.
If you don't trust me, read any review of the show you can find. I have yet to find a negative one."
Track Listings (17) - Disc #1