Reviewed by Judd Hollander
“The feeling of love lasts a maximum of 4 years, and then it’s just inertia and fear of being alone that keeps people together,” exclaims a character in the delightful new Broadway musical Maybe Happy Ending. Created by Will Aronson and Hue Park, the show presents a fascinating exploration of two beings who, as they contemplate the end of their existence, find something they never thought possible.
For the past 12 years jazz enthusiast Oliver (Darren Criss) has been living in a tiny apartment at the Helperbot Yards near Seoul, South Korea, with no one but his plant HwaBoon to talk to, and the occasional piece of mail as he waits for his owner to return. Oliver is a Series 3 Helperbot, an artificial being capable of independent thinking created to assist humans in whatever task they need. All the rage in certain circles, Helperbots can also become almost literal extensions of their owners, acting as their confidants and sounding boards. However, as with all things automated, newer models are developed, with those that came before discarded and left to themselves until self-repair is no longer possible and they cease to function.
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One day Oliver is startled by a frantic knock on his front door, opening it to find Claire (Helen J Shen), a Helperbot Series 5 cast-off, and his next-door neighbor, who begs to borrow his personal charger as her own has become defective. After some hesitation and verbal sparring, there apparently being some kind of animosity between the Series 3 and 5, he agrees.
With Claire coming by each day to borrow Oliver’s charger, the two soon settle into a comfortable routine. Oliver shares his love of jazz with Claire, and she offers him housekeeping tips in return. We also learn Claire and Oliver were abandoned not because they were becoming obsolete, but because they had become so much a part of their respective owner’s lives, other members of the owner’s families felt neglected. Upon learning Oliver is planning to visit his former owner, Claire, for reasons of her own, decides to come with him, even as she worries Oliver may not get the joyful reunion he has so profoundly envisioned.
A story where a meet cute turns into something far more, thanks in part to a road trip and a magical firefly encounter, Maybe Happy Ending explores two very basic needs – that of being wanted by another and the attempts we are prepared to go through to avoid being alone. As Claire and Oliver bond over their experiences, they begin to wonder if it’s possible to take the next step in their relationship and become more than friends, especially in the face of an ending neither wants to contemplate. An inevitably every couple must someday face as they get older and realize their time together is finite, which makes it all the more precious.
The entire experience is shot through with a laidback jazzy feel, thanks to singer Gil Brentley (Dez Duron), a crooner who calls to mind Dean Martin or Perry Como, and whose almost effervescent presence adds an extra integral layer to the story, as he effortlessly delivers Aronson and Park’s tunes and helps set the show’s overall tone, even though this character is technically not part of the ongoing narrative.
Dex Duron as "Gil Brentley" in the Broadway musical Maybe Happy Ending at the Belasco Theatre. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.
Adding important touches to the proceedings are the video effects by Dane Laffrey and George Reeve, whose efforts offer windows to Claire and Oliver’s past; and the lighting by Ben Stanton and sound design by Peter Hylenski. Director Michael Arden is able to bring the story vibrantly to life by alternatively emphasizing moments of humor, pathos and outright comedy. A good example of the latter shown when Claire and Oliver try to have an argument once they have become a couple. There’s also Oliver’s habit of being too literal, as evident during a stay at a less than reputable motel where he and Claire spend the night during their trip.
Criss is perfect as sheltered Oliver, secure in the knowledge things will turn out the way he expects – as shown via the song “World Within My Room.” It isn’t until he meets Claire that he finds in himself a spontaneity he didn’t know he’d been lacking, and a willingness to face unpleasant truths when it comes to his own life. Oliver is also the character who matures the most over the course of the musical.
With an excellent singing voice, Shen is superb as the more realistic Claire. The character having connected with a network of her fellow Helperbots, some of whom she knows well. Equipped with social skills Oliver lacks, she is in her own way far more alone when the two first meet and eventually sees in Oliver a chance to have a very special adventure while she still can.
Showing both the fragility and durability of love, and with some heart-wrenching twists, Maybe Happy Ending presents an infectious tale that offers exactly what the title says. Which is all anyone in love can ultimately hope for.
Featuring: Darren Criss (Oliver), Helen J Shen (Claire), Marcus Choi (James, Junseo & Others), Dez Duron (Gil Brentley), Arden Cho (Jiyeon), Young Mazino (Suhan), Jim Kaplan (Young Junseo), HwaBoon (HwaBoon).
Additional Voices: Michael Arden, Will Aronson, Caroline Fairweather, Nikki M. James, Andy Mientus.
Maybe Happy Ending
By Will Aronson and Hue Park
Scenic & Additional Video Design: Dane Laffrey
Costume Design: Clint Ramos
Lighting Design: Ben Stanton
Sound Design: Peter Hylenski
Video Design: George Reeve
Hair & Wig Design: Craig Franklin Miller
Makeup Design: Suki Tsujimoto
Orchestrations: Will Aronson
Music Director: John Yun
Music Coordinator: Kimberlee Wertz
Music Supervisor: Deborah Abramson
Directed by Micheal Arden
The Belasco Theatre
111 West 44th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes, no intermission
Open run
