In the modern age, jukebox musicals are a dime a dozen. Almost anyone with a hefty songbook has been adapted to a stage show celebrating the finest artists of our time. What separates the Tony-winning Jagged Little Pill is the decision to create a story more indebted to the themes of Alanis Morissette’s most beloved record. By shifting attention to a dysfunctional family, the story evolves into something more emotionally complex. With an overstuffed plot featuring drug addiction, failing marriages, and youth-driven activism, it’s a show that seeks to capture the modern zeitgeist the most thoroughly that it can. The results are, for the most part, some of the most underappreciated theater of the past decade.
This past November, The Landmark Theater staged one of the first versions since its original Broadway run. The venue can’t help but provide its own subversion as the audience piles into a refitted church that now has a functioning stage for productions. In place of the conventional seats are pews. In an effort to provide a unique experience, there were even announcements of performing an “acoustic” version of the largely electric show during certain dates that would incorporate natural lighting appearing through stained-glass windows.
For the production being reviewed, it was the originally intended version with a live orchestra present on the floor below. The sets were modest, mostly featuring an electronic backdrop and several moving props. This was early into the run, meaning that certain technical features may have been more error-prone, and the sound mixing wasn’t always clear. In fact, several ensemble numbers were often met with some overlay singing that was difficult to comprehend.
Despite the setbacks, The Landmark brought the production to life with an overzealous cast ready to meet the material with the respectful nuance necessary to pull it off. Along with some challenging musical numbers that lead to many ovations, there was a need to balance the delicate tone which evolved from an initial upbeat irony into a deeper, more complex study of a family who struggle to get along. Some children who struggle to be perfect seek to change the world by supporting causes that they believe matter to them. There is an underlying optimism to the work that is struggling against a dark outer shell. Thankfully, Morissette’s songbook is full of whimsical language that captures the desire and introspection that serve every character with surprising accuracy.
What’s even more impressive is that Diablo Cody’s book for the story slowly turns things into darker themes that are treated tactfully. Key among them is a raucous party that ends in assault, which leads to a harrowing study of how women carry the burden of shameful secrets and how it can lead to harmful behavior. Through the expert plot layering, it captures the ways that generations struggle to live up to the promise of being perfect mentors for the next. While this all ends with a cheerful rendition of thanks, it’s not one of convenient answers. If anything, it’s the acceptance of imperfection, that they may have their problems, but they will not hide them at the risk of ostracization.
The Landmark does an excellent job of bringing the show to life. With a passionate cast who knows how to liven up the material, Jagged Little Pill has become a must-see piece of theater that isn’t afraid to explore complicated subject matter. Not only that, but it gives actors of every age roles that are immersive and challenge societal norms in ways often not celebrated. It may be a musical sold on Morissette’s music, but it’s much more than that. It embraces her scrappy personality, allowing the autobiography, warts and all, nature to shine through and capture the perils of everyday life. They may not always be shining bright, but as she would say, you live, you learn. Thankfully, the lessons this show covers are good enough to stick with anyone willing to listen.
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