Rock musical about a real-life ‘60s sister act proves to be a bummer
BY MICHAEL SOMMERS
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
OFF BROADWAY REVIEW
A new musical based on a true story, “The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World” is the late ‘60s saga of three talent-free teen sisters whose blue-collar dad obsessively drives them to become a rock band.
Opening on Tuesday at Playwrights Horizons, this musical with a script by Joy Gregory, music by Gunnar Madsen and lyrics by both, turns out to be a joyless and increasingly dispiriting event.
One can see how the makers could be intrigued by this show biz tale of clueless girls and a relentless parent – it’s not unlike “Gypsy!” – but the characters they develop are so vague and pathetic and their plot’s trajectory is so downbeat that “The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World” is no fun at all.
