From Talking Heads frontman DAVID BYRNE; the beat master of “Praise You,” DJ FATBOY SLIM; and the Tony®-winning director of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, ALEX TIMBERS, comes HERE LIES LOVE—“an experience the likes of which Broadway has rarely if ever seen” (Variety). Witness the dazzling rise and fall of a young woman who gets catapulted to a life of fame, excess, and intoxicating power after winning the hearts of two political rivals. HERE LIES LOVE is “the best time to be had on Broadway right now” (Town & Country).
Despite Imelda’s glossy facade, Here Lies Love does not rest on its surfaces. Though, with Alex Timbers’ immersive, dynamic direction, Annie-B Parson’s kinetic choreography, Clint Ramos’ specific, dance-ready costumes, and Justin Townsend’s lighting, it easily could. But Byrne’s concept, impeccably executed through his lyrics, and the music he co-wrote with Fatboy Slim, is a digestible, hip-shaking challenge. With most of its lyrics lifted directly from actual words spoken by its subjects, it asks us to keep a critical eye, even as we’re bombarded with feel-good slogans and unchecked vanities, made doubly dangerous by the Studio 54 beats underneath. It asks us to embody the ambition, mendacity, and ruthlessness we carry with us, even when we think we’ve danced them off, and question our complicity. After the non-stop party, the show’s sobering end reminds us that dancing can be as inattentive as it is cathartic.
The show's real star is the glitzy, all-encompassing set by David Korins. As the action unfolds, stage platforms shift, audience members shuffle, and video projections display live-action crowd shots and historical documents on large screens throughout the auditorium. A giant disco ball spins, reflecting light across the space. Annie-B Parson’s electrifying choreography, which includes a Filipino line dance with the audience, furthers the nightclub scene. Audience members whose knowledge of Imelda Marcos is limited to the fact that she owned 3,000 pairs of shoes will only leave with a partial understanding of this violent period. The musical has no book, and the punchy songs paint broad strokes of the 60-year history. (The program, given to the stage floor patrons upon exiting the theatre, includes an insert with a more detailed historical timeline that fills in the show’s gaps.) Still, this rollicking, form-breaking musical party is well worth an RSVP.
Rush Tickets:
Price: $35
Where: Box Office only
Limit: Two per customer, subject to availability
Restrictions: Rush tickets will be available in-person at the Broadway Theatre box office on the day of the performance. Tickets are subject to availability.
Digital Lottery:
Price: $39
Where: https://rush.telecharge.com/
When: Entries for the Here Lies Love digital lottery start at 12am, one day before the performance, and winners are drawn the same day at 10am and 3pm.
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Drawings only appear when they are open for entries.
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