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music and lyrics by Rafe Malach & Adam Jesin, book by Rafe Malach, directed by Dale Miller

Malach Productions, Toronto Fringe Festival, Al Green Theatre, Toronto

July 3-12, 2015

“Speciesism in the world of EDM”

Deadmouse: The Musical received lots of free publicity on June 17 when the Toronto DJ and producer Joel Zimmerman (aka Deadmau5) filed a cease and desist order against the show for infringing on his intellectual property.  Less than 24 hours later he rescinded the order when the musical labelled itself a “parody”.  It is now one of the most popular shows at the Fringe, but if one looks past all the hype, the musical is quite seriously flawed.

The musical opens in the mouse world with Joel Zimmermouse (Chris Baker) who wants to be a house DJ in the human world.  He is supported in his quest by his best friend David Goudda (Daniel Abrahamson), a reference to David Guetta, and the girl he loves, tattoo-artist Cat (Sarah Horsman), a reference to Kat von D.  Unfortunately, when he takes his best track to Botch Records, the Executive (Jewelle Blackman) says she likes the song but won’t promote anything written by a mouse.  Poor Joel is thus a victim of speciesist discrimination.  (The show uses the incorrect term “specist” throughout.) 

Even worse, when Joel has a chance to meet the famed DJ Avicheese (Adam Jesin), a reference to Avicii, the DJ not only steals Joel’s track but murders him.  Joel’s mouse spirit arrives at the Pearly Gates only to find that St. Peter (Devin Herbert) is also a mouse who loves house music.  Joel’s story convinces St. Peter to grant Joel’s wish to return to Earth as a human being and fulfil his dream.

With such a fantastic plot involving the supernatural and mice versus humans, one would naturally assume that the show is meant for children.  If composer and librettist Rafe Malach wanted the show to have a wide success, this is the road he should take.  Unfortunately, he wants the show to appeal to adults and thinks he needs to achieve this by including rude content.  This R-rated content is concentrated almost entirely in the characters of the randy Goudda and the flaming gay St. Peter on crack contrasts with the generally PG rated content of the rest of the show. 

Suggesting that Deadmouse is at heart a show for a young audience is the telegraphic dialogue delivered in the over-enthusiastic style of children television.  Joel’s conversations with his disapproving Mother (Diana Chrisman), the strict separation of good and evil and the snap decisions that make the plot run are all hallmarks of shows aimed at the younger set.  

Malach does have real talent as a songwriter.  Though all within a middle-of-the road pop-rock style, the songs are diverse and two stand out as exceptional.  One is Joel’s ballad “Naive” and even better is Cat’s lament “My First Broken Heart”.  The primary failing of the music is that for a story so concerned with electronic dance music there is no EDM to be heard except for some generic prerecorded fluff briefly played through the speakers.  Malach has written nothing for the three-piece band and we never hear a single song that Joel has written, not even the great track that Avicheese steals. 

The eight-person cast is very uneven.  Chris Baker really holds the show together as Joel with a winning combination of pluck, self-deprecation and a great singing voice.  Sarah Horsman also has a powerful voice as Cat.  Jewelle Blackman’s talent is well-known and she puts so much energy into her one solo, one wishes Malach had given her more to sing.          

    

In terms of design, something better must be done to distinguish the mice from human beings.  Mouse-ear hat are not enough and might bring on a suit from Disney.  Given that some cast members playing mice are taller than Baker when is is human, hand puppets for the mice might be the best solution to the problem.

If Malach could decide who his audience is and if he could bring himself to write some good EDM, the show could be a success.  If he could manage to eliminate the unnecessary sexual content and focus more on the issue of speciesism, he could have a show that would be popular in the large circuit of young people’s theatres.  Those theatres could use more shows like Bunnicula (1996) by Chris Jeffries and Jon Klein or Seussical (2000) by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.  Besides, musicals like this also have large contingents of adult fans.

I hope Rafe Malach decides to give Deadmouse a rethink because he could create a success that might well outlive this current blip of free publicity.

         

©Christopher Hoile

Note: This review is a Stage Door exclusive. 

Photo: Sarah Horsman as Cat and Chris Baker as Joel. ©2015 Toronto Rave Community.