REVIEW: Boy Falls from the Sky is back, and it’s worth the trip to Hamilton
When your emotional support musical is programmed by a theatre only an hour away by bus — a theatre now in the throes of establishing itself as a major player in the world of Canadian musicals — you make the time to pay it a visit.
Boy Falls from the Sky knocked me off my feet when it played at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto last year. Jake Epstein’s solo show about show business checked every square of my “things that make theatre good” checklist. It told a specific, interesting story; it was really, really funny; it clocked in at under 90 minutes; and it used musical theatre tropes to unite (and lightly tease) theatre kids of all ages. The stuff of dreams, Boy Falls from the Sky was for me, this dazzling monologue about growing up onstage.
Time has passed — Epstein’s had a kid! — and the show has continued to tour across Ontario. In the version now playing at Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton, Brandon Kleiman’s set is slight, just three windows suspended centre stage behind the ever-excellent, three-piece band, made up of Abby David on bass, Justin Han on drums, and Daniel Abrahamson on keys. The music is sourced from Broadway shows that are important to Epstein, either because he grew up listening to them as a kid (think The Lion King and Les Miserables) or because he performed in them as an adult (Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical). Epstein and the band navigate disparate genres and styles with grace and good humour — Boy Falls from the Sky might be the only place you’ll hear the works of Green Day, Elton John, and Carole King in one sitting.
TLDR: the show’s still exquisite.
And it’s right at home at Theatre Aquarius, which earlier this year announced its National Centre for New Musicals, an initiative with lofty dreams of transforming the Canadian theatre landscape one new musical at a time.
Time will tell if the centre succeeds, but it seems fitting that in the immediate aftermath of its announcement comes Boy Falls from the Sky, a musical about trying, succeeding, and failing at being in musicals. The resonance between the show’s content and the values of the theatre presenting it is just delicious, and it signals a promising road forward for Aquarius as the final pieces of the National Centre for New Musicals fall into place.
If you’ve not seen Boy Falls from the Sky, do. Theatre Aquarius boasts a lovely space (with ample legroom and pleasant lobby ambiance), and Epstein’s in fine form with his solo show, which, if anything, has only tightened up since its run in Toronto last year. Boy Falls from the Sky is a love letter to musical theatre, one that offers rare proof that sometimes, the job you love can love you right back. I’ll continue holding my breath for studio recordings of Epstein’s original ditty, “Apparently I’m Too Tall,” as well as his cover of the show’s titular ballad, borrowed from the superhero show that, statistically speaking, probably should have killed him.
No, Spiderman didn’t kill Epstein. But it left him with stories that simply have to be heard. Go.
Boy Falls from the Sky runs at Theatre Aquarius until November 4. Tickets are available here.
Intermission reviews are independent and unrelated to Intermission’s partnered content. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.
Aisling Murphy
Aisling is Intermission's senior editor and an award-winning arts journalist with bylines including the New York Times, Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, CBC Arts, and Maclean's. She likes British playwright Sarah Kane, most songs by Taylor Swift, and her cats, Fig and June. She was a 2024 fellow at the National Critics Institute in Waterford, CT.
LEARN MORE
iPhoto caption: Photographed productions from L to R, top to bottom, with the photographer in brackets: seven methods of killing kylie jenner (Dahlia Katz), Big Stuff (Dahlia Katz), De Profundis (Dahlia Katz), Goblin:Macbeth (Jae Yang), Salesman in China (David Hou), Dana H. (John Lauener), Earworm (Dahlia Katz), Age Is a Feeling (Dahlia Katz), Honey I’m Home (Eden Graham).
Our favourite theatre productions of 2024, in Toronto and beyond
End-of-year lists are personal. When it comes to theatre, the question isn’t really what shows you liked most, but which ones left the strongest imprint, continuing to pinball around in your mind and heart even after the set is gone and the cast no longer recalls their lines.
iPhoto caption: A Christmas Story production still by Dahlia Katz.
REVIEW: A Christmas Story feels fresh at Theatre Aquarius
If you want to catch A Christmas Story before it closes, good luck — the show is close to sold out, and with the talent on that stage, it’s not hard to see why.
iPhoto caption: Photo by Danelle Jane Tran.
REVIEW: Yes, Holiday! An Improvised Musical really is different every night
Putting aside its opening number and a single proper noun, every word of Bad Dog Theatre’s Dora Award-nominated Holiday! An Improvised Musical has the potential to change from performance to performance.
iPhoto caption: Photo by Dahlia Katz.
REVIEW: Canadian Stage revives the Ross Petty panto with pop songs, puns, and a pinch of Ozdust
Making a case for the panto’s return, The Wizard of Oz is full of local references and charm, and perhaps even some surprise guests to fill audiences with hometown pride.
iPhoto caption: Photo by Marie-Andree Lemire.
REVIEW: Titaníque loves Céline Dion with all its heart
Content quibbles aside, Titaníque’s inarguable accomplishment is musical: What an amazing showcase for a Canadian cast’s vocal chops and capacity to deliver character through song.
iPhoto caption: Photo by Ben Laird.
REVIEW: Twelve Days brings Christmas joy to lunchtime in Calgary
Watching Twelve Days is reminiscent of opening up the door to a chocolate advent calendar: yes, you know what you’re gonna get, but heck if you don’t enjoy every second of it.
iPhoto caption: A Christmas Story production still by Dahlia Katz.
REVIEW: A Christmas Story feels fresh at Theatre Aquarius
If you want to catch A Christmas Story before it closes, good luck — the show is close to sold out, and with the talent on that stage, it’s not hard to see why.
iPhoto caption: Madame Minister production still by Dahlia Katz.
REVIEW: Madame Minister is a star vehicle for actor Laura Condlln
Laura Condlln and Cyrus Lane offer performances that are worth the drive to Barrie — the two have terrific chemistry and timing.
iPhoto caption: Production still courtesy of The Bee's Knees.
REVIEW: The Bee’s Knees falls short of its timely premise
The Bee’s Knees might evolve into a stronger project down the line, but at present, the play and production feel swept away by the spangled allure of the 1920s setting.
iPhoto caption: J. Kelly Nestruck headshot courtesy of The Globe and Mail.
An exit interview with Globe and Mail theatre critic J. Kelly Nestruck
J. Kelly Nestruck has left the building. (Or at least the aisle seat.)
iPhoto caption: Photo of Annemieke Wade courtesy of TAPA.
TAPA appoints Annemieke Wade as new executive director
Wade steps into the position with an extensive background in theatre, with past roles including executive director of Roseneath Theatre and Theatre Direct and company manager of Tarragon Theatre.
iPhoto caption: Beowulf in Afghanistan graphic courtesy of GCTC.
Beowulf in Afghanistan to make world premiere at GCTC
As part of its 50th anniversary season, Ottawa’s Great Canadian Theatre Company will program the world premiere of Laurie Fyffe’s Beowulf in Afghanistan, in a production directed by Company of Fools artistic director Kate Smith.
Comments