Sunday, January 21, 2018

Admitted Lover of Humbug

How long it's been since I enjoyed a show this much I can't even remember. Maybe the first time I saw "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" with Donny Osmond in Chicago back in the 90s? (That's a good story. You can read about it here. And for the record, Eve was five days old when the show opened, and I still went at least twice. It's what I do.)

I don't understand the controversy surrounding "The Greatest Showman." I mean, we all live in the Google age. I'm sure I'm not the only one who googled P.T. Barnum as I left the theatre to see how much of the story was accurate. Was I disappointed this wasn't a biography? No. Aren't we all wise enough to judge between truth and fiction? Newsflash--"Game of Thrones" isn't an accurate portrayal of the Middle Ages. (Although I've never seen it, the dragons gave me my first clue.)

Hollywood feels obligated to create their versions of famous people and pass them off as history. Rarely are they completely corroborated by even a quick Wikipedia check.

Can't we all drop the pretense of serious historians and just enjoy something for its face value? (Finally live a little, finally laugh a little--see what I did there?) When did we all become so uptight about facts and accuracy? They don't matter here.

This is a show of fun--catchy tunes and lyrics, incredible dancing, beautiful people, and suitable for families to enjoy--the kind of show P.T. Barnum may have written about himself.

I went with some family over the holidays and returned later that same night to see it again. I've seen it a few more times, and it brings me joy every time--from the first notes to the final curtain.

Let's all relax and revel in a shared moment of pure joy and entertainment. That's rare in this world of government shutdowns, nuclear threats, and economic strife.

If you haven't seen "The Greatest Showman," get there before it leaves the theatre. Stomp and clap and sing . . . and enjoy the greatest show.

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