Southern Comfort

"It’s the spirited, tuneful country score and the colorful characters that draw us close to the emotional ups and downs of Robert’s family. This cast is entirely winning...As sung by characters who would likely not be welcomed at the Grand Ole Opry anytime soon, the songs take on an almost radical charge...For the most part this musical avoids the trap of sentimentality. And it’s fitting that the show errs on the side of largess, granting characters their full, complicated humanity." Full Review

"As a piece of theater, the show rolls over and plays dead. The only unqualified successes in this inert production at the Public Theater are the stunning set and lighting design...The talky lyrics prove to be too much of a mouthful. And director Thomas Caruso seems to have let everyone more or less make it up as they go along." Full Review

"For the most part, 'Southern Comfort' seems more concerned with educating audiences on transgender issues than with storytelling...The chamber-style country score, while possessing lively moments, leans toward melancholy too often. More diverse emotional textures are needed. 'Souther Comfort' is certainly a noble effort, and the desire to educate audiences is an understandable urge. Despite its flaws, the emotions expressed are heart-tugging, well played and sincere." Full Review

"'Southern Comfort' suffers at times from its lack of narrative momentum and languorous pace, and the bluegrass/country flavored musical score does little to enliven it, with far too many emotive ballads of self-empowerment in the mix. Still, there are some lovely songs and it's performed well...This is a show that clearly has its heart in the right place, displaying a compassion toward its well-etched characters that is impossible not to share." Full Review

"The book succumbs to a tone of sentimentality and special pleading; the songs are pretty but mostly monochromatic. Oddly enough, they are also too generic. (They are filled with snorey clichés.) This leaves the cast working hard — too hard — under Thomas Caruso’s stiff direction...If worthiness were the same as stageworthiness, 'Southern Comfort' would be as effective as its source. But this is material that, however much it cries out for justice, simply doesn’t sing." Full Review

"With an engaging bluegrass score, a particularly lovely company, and wrenching honesty, this production really sings...'Southern Comfort' does have a tendency to feel like a simplified and somewhat preachy primer on trans issues. And the casting of only two trans actors still isn't enough. However, the piece treats its subjects with a great deal of respect and humanity...With issues of trans identity coming to the fore, 'Southern Comfort' is a beautiful entry into an important conversation." Full Review

"This heartfelt, well-meaning production seems like a dated period piece...Its characters' journeys of self-discovery and love moved me to tears...However I was acutely aware of just how repetitive, traditional and safe the show is...There's still beauty here...Robert's budding romance with the transitioning Lola is the heart of the story. Watching him gleefully court her, political notions of gender and identity fall away and the show's finely tuned message translates into explosive emotions." Full Review

"If 'Southern Comfort' has a meaningful story to tell, it falters in its telling. Maybe the traditional story structures of conflict, climax and resolution are themselves too normative, but creating satisfying alternatives remains difficult...The songs have a certain sameness and too often re-articulate material from the book...Still, it’s pleasure enough to spend an afternoon or evening among these characters." Full Review

"Its novelty has diminished since it was first conceived, and perhaps some of its importance. There is also a struggle to give this musical an overall shape...The creative team has placed 19 songs, and several reprises – all of which are tuneful, some of which are moving or amusing, a few of which are repetitive enough to have been cut without discernible damage...All through 'Southern Comfort' are worthwhile moments of insight and emotion." Full Review

"The story has touching elements, but the standout is James J. Fenton’s beautiful set. The band trumps the actors in this respect. More disconcerting, in this particular production, is to hear traditional musical theater-style singing over folksy bluegrass instrumentation. In fairness, audience members would probably enjoy a concert of the 'Southern Comfort' band; it was impeccable. One suspects they would also like the documentary the musical is based on better than the musical." Full Review

"'Southern Comfort’ comes off strong in the good works department but less so as memorable theatre...It’s understandable that the narrative line for a musical has to be more dramatic than its documentary source, but when every emotion is expressed not only in dialogue but in nearly two dozen not especially distinctive songs, most of them iterating some aspect of transgender problems, the effect leans toward the didactic and treacly." Full Review

"This is first and foremost a message show—and plays like it...You need look no further than the likes of 'Show Boat,' 'South Pacific,' 'The King and I,' and any number of other familiar titles to see how big, socially relevant topics can be treated in thoughtful ways and still deliver on magic and entertainment. Alas, 'Southern Comfort,' as rich in advocacy as it might be, is dirt poor when it comes to those two vital qualities." Full Review

"This touching and heartfelt show is sure to move you…The book and lyrics by Dan Collins and bluegrass score by Julianne Wick Davis are musical gems…This cast is remarkable, but it is Ms. O’Toole who immerses herself so much into the character, she disappears and we only see Robert. Right now, this is the performance to beat as the best of the year." Full Review

"The Public’s Anspacher Theater, with its steeply raked audience that focuses the audience up close and personal on the action unfolding on the stage, is the perfect setting for this beautiful and heartfelt show...The book and lyrics by Dan Collins and music by Julianne Wick Davis are of a piece with the story and include several gems...It’s a beautiful show; bring the family." Full Review

"This 'Southern Comfort' is better than ever...Though faithful to the film and its sensibility, Dan Collins and Julianne Wick Davis have expanded the cast to create a full-bodied show about a marginalized group of people who struggle not only with their fears of public exposure and condemnation, but with accepting themselves...My complaint about that over long first act is a minor quibble, as is that all that heartfelt twanging can occasionally feel repetitious." Full Review

"'Southern Comfort' is an ambitious and admirable attempt to depict a community that till now has been left off of our stages. Though the material at times seems tamer that the content would warrant, it is ultimately a very moving musical. It also is a showcase for Annette O’Toole to give one of the finest performances of the season." Full Review

"While the book is mostly faithful to the essentials of the film, it makes things a bit more schematic. As I am not a fan of country/bluegrass music, I did not really enjoy the score. To my ears, much of the music seemed monotonous and repetitive...Thomas Caruso’s direction is seamless. The entire cast, especially O’Toole and McCarthy, are excellent. Although, for me, the music did not really enhance the story, it is still a moving and timely tale that I am glad will be seen by new audiences." Full Review

"Something has been lost on the way from thinking about the social justice message to the shaping of the material into a musical for the stage. Sadly, the book is overwhelmingly pedantic and the songs fail to reveal much about the characters or to move the plot forward...It’s hard not to care about the characters, and to appreciate the heart-felt performances of the actors. But if you want a model to emulate when telling such an important story, try 'Fun Home'." Full Review

"Needless to say, 'Southern Comfort' is not your typical musical. But it is an overly earnest one. The songs by Collins and Julianne Wick Davis aren’t as numbingly didactic as 'I Am What I Am' from 'La Cage aux Folles,' but a few anthems come close, and none of the music is very memorable. What does impress is that the victims on stage are all survivors, and that includes the one who’s dying." Full Review

"An enjoyable middle-of-the-road bluegrass musical...If not for the subject matter, director Thomas Caruso’s production of this might seem like one of those jaunty, old-fashioned little countrified musicals...Annette O’Toole is terrific, and unrecognizable, as Robert, born Barbara…The sound is sometimes overly familiar; the resolutions are a bit pat. Even so, we keep realizing that the unpretentious breakthrough of a show expresses feelings and ideas never onstage before." Full Review

"The various cast members playing the assortment of characters in Robert’s life are excellent, and the theme of we are who we are and proud of it gets excellent treatment throughout...The production is seductive, drawing us into the transgender world and eliciting respect and sympathy for the characters living according to their deeply felt identities. 'Southern Comfort' is an important socially conscious statement as well as admirably creative." Full Review

"At first, you wonder if the show will flounder in an excess of sugar, with the characters all smiles and hugs and good will. But conflict arrives in several forms...The musical, which has been in development for years, could also use some pruning to lessen repetition and increase momentum. But even taken as it is, 'Southern Comfort' is a success — a warm-hearted, affecting portrait of people who, whatever barriers they face, have achieved the contentment of finding their essential selves." Full Review

"The plot centers around several questions that transgender people have to confront...That's a lot to load onto a musical and 'Southern Comfort' has some trouble balancing all of it. Members of the transgender community have criticized the show for downplaying the way doctors failed to treat the real-life Eads and the production for failing to cast transgender actors in all the roles...Both O'Toole and McCarthy are cisgendered but they're also terrific in their roles." Full Review

"With their uniformly bluegrass emphasis, the songs after awhile begin to sound pretty much alike. They also tend to instill over the proceedings a fairly soft focus; some grit might be useful. While compelling for the most part, the proceedings rarely become electrifying, and in its final moments it threatens to become a bit of a sentimental weepie. In the overall, it’s the subject matter rather than presentation that gives 'Southern Comfort' its groundbreaking importance." Full Review

"The Public Theater continues its tradition of presenting groundbreaking theater in an accessible setting with the folk-bluegrass musical 'Southern Comfort'...Out of a mostly forgettable score, one song stands out...The creators of the show are quite sensitive to the issues surrounding being transgender...Hopefully, 'Southern Comfort' will bring a lot of comfort to transgender audiences." Full Review