By Bart Greenberg ****The Other Josh Cohen breaks every rule in the theater playbook. The leading character is played by two actors. The other five gifted performers play, as the program indicates, “a lot of people,” “a bunch of people” and “a bunch of other people,” including grandmothers, old girlfriends, employers, landlords and Neil Diamond. They also play almost all of the musical instruments utilized in the score—one of the other Josh Cohens plays the guitar. Even more surprising, we are told in the first two minutes that there will be a happy ending—what we don’t know is the surprising and constantly shifting voyage from where our hero begins to where he ends up.
The story is told through a mix of songs, scenes and monologues. David Rossmer and Steven Rosen have written the entire show—music, book and lyrics—as well as starring as the two title characters (or is the one title character?). Rosen makes for an adorably depressed bearish Josh, the version from a year ago, while Rossmer serves as the sleeker current version, our guitarist and guide through the tale of devastation and redemption of a life (with tongue firmly in cheek).
Our hero arrives home one day from his temp job to discover a thief has removed almost everything from his apartment except for a Neil Diamond CD and a very old CD player. (Audience members who arrive early have a chance to see the crime in process.) Josh just seems to be one of those people who is unlucky. Flashbacks outlining his past romances show that he’s no more fortunate in that area of his life. He does have doting parents, but they seem to have no more understanding of his life than he does. Actually, the only folks who truly seem to get him are his alter-ego from the future and the spirit of Mr. Diamond, who pops in to give musical advice from time to time. And then Josh receives an unexpected letter…
Revealing more would be unfair to the incredibly clever plotting of the story. Consistently funny, with just a hint of heart from time to time and a bit of a moral at the end, the writers know just how far to push a running joke— about a cat calendar, for instance, before setting about a new string of jokes. And wisely, no joke ever takes away from the honesty of the material; far more experienced hands have made such errors in the past. The score is in keeping with the book: contemporary sounds blended with old-fashioned show biz pizzazz. The shift between singing and talking, one of those very tricky aspects of musicals that only become apparent when they don’t work, is as smooth as buttah. Even the self-reverential material is clever; when a character is asked if something is true, he exclaims “I just sang it!”
The multitude of other characters, from minor to major participants in Josh’s life, are inhabited by Luke Darnell, Hannah Elless, Elizabeth Nestierode, Louis Tucci and Kate Wetherhead. Each contributes immeasurably to the work. And all are guided with a sure but very light hand by director Hunter Foster.
How delightful to discover a completely original musical (original both in it not being based on another work and original in its approach to the material) that simply sparkles with the traditions of off-Broadway musicals while striking new ground for itself.
All photos courtesy of Caitlin McNaney.
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