Saw Ride the Cyclone for the second time last Saturday!
Observations and favorite moments (below the cut):
For context, I decided to invite my grandfather to come see the show with me. And by the end, he LOVED it!
As expected, all of the vocals and performances are ON-TOP!
Without a doubt, this has to be the most Karnak-centric production of Ride the Cyclone I have ever seen (who has a spiffy cloak/robe and a top hat too). Practically of the pre-song monologues were more directed at Karnak than the audience, which I found to be a remarkable twist on the standard formula!
Speaking of Karnak, he was at his most delightfully smug throughout the whole musical. The way he paused as he said "the most...successful girl in town" and "the most...romantic girl in town", only adds to the smugness.
The music was VERY LOUD, and it shook me to the core.
Constance starts off "Uranium Suite" by playing a pitch pipe, only for Ocean to snatch it back to try and coach her on how to play the proper pitch, only to later ditch it to start the song. A similar thing happened when they sang "U-Pop", with Ocean trying to get Constance to properly sing.
The boys all had pins on their vests, but I wasn't able to see them from the distance I was.
Okay, so this just has to be the most chaotic rendition of "Uranium Suite" ever. Misha gets knocked off the platform at one point (after he spent the pre-song speech taking selfies, much to Noel's dismay), and the boys continue to bump arms throughout the song, in contrast to Constance and Ocean's more synchronized moves.
Ocean and Constance held hands while on the Cyclone.
Ocean ends up being the one to wake Karnak, and was bookended by Ocean trying to wake up Karnak, when Virgil killed him.
Throughout the whole
She also JUNKO-POSED when she said her catchphrase!
Unlike the Jane I saw last time, this Jane was significantly more human-like, and came off as more grimly cheerful, having a wide smile when she said her catchphrase, and later giving Constance a big tight bear hug.
EVERYONE was shocked when Ocean called Constance an organ donor, and Jane frowned when she was called a freaky monster.
Ocean used Jane and Ricky as stairs, while Noel, Mischa, and Constance formed a human throne. Karnak snapping his fingers caused the "throne" to fall, much to everybody's relief.
LOTS OF MOCKING AD-LIBS from Noel and Mischa, ESPECIALLY at Ocean's expense. So much silent judgement happens whenever Ocean opens her mouth.
During the flashback to the nativity pageant, Constance was given Jane's lines, with Jane pelvic thrusting on the erection line. Because of this, they got rid of "Or we can just go to the manger, Joseph."
Noel was rather awkward, and had to be coaxed by Karnak into his pre-song monologue.
Both Misha and Ricky chanted "Slurpie Day" (like the immature teenage boys they are), after Noel mentioned Uranium's 7/11.
Misha actually LAUGHED AT NOEL, after he admitted working at Taco Bell.
Monique's outfit consisted of a black dress underneath a patterned shawl, much like the production I saw last time.
Background Blackroses and Spacedolls during middle of "Noel's Lament".
The song ended on a LENGTHY kiss between Noel and Misha, with the silence between the two afterward being DEAFENING! You could practically hear the bisexual awakening.
Misha smacks Ricky's lower back, when complimenting his "squeezekey" playing skills.
When "This Song is Awesome" started, Ricky came in while piggybacking on Jane. And I'm NOT SHUTTING UP ABOUT THEM!
Misha also gave Karnak his phone, as if he wanted the machine to record it and upload it to the afterlife's Youtube.
Just before "Talia", Misha pulls out a bottle of vodka from behind Karnak's box (and even KARNAK was confused as to where he found it), and took a good swig from it, supporting the "sentimental drunk Misha" headcanon.
During Misha's "Talia" monologue, he added in an extra bit that goes "and then, I will whisper in your ear, with all the quiet passion of Ukrainian gangsta".
Oddly enough, Talia doesn't show up until the very end, which I feel like adds a lot more tragedy to the song.
Both Misha and Constance were desperate for Ricky to go next, not wanting to dwell on either Talia or the subject of virginity.
Misha also calls Weird Al "Strange Albert, or something", much to Ricky's confusion.
When Ricky started his Solar monologue, Mischa instantly goes "Weird....OH! BUT COOL! GO ON!", and either him or Noel said "YES!", the second Ricky mentioned the gravitational pull making everything "Harder".
Ocean: Ricky, no. Ricky: Ricky, yes. Wetter.
Throughout the whole show, Ricky was very anxious, and he was just as anxious during "Space Age Bachelor Man". But anxiety be damned, my boy can hit those high notes.
The cats actually stripped Ricky on-stage after the "It gets weird now."
As for the SABM outfit, it was a sparkly body suit with a brown scarf and white go-go boots.
Ricky actually cued the background band to play a G-sharp, five octaves above middle C.
Jane HAPPILY SKIPS towards Karnak's box, only for her face to fall, when Karnak read her "backstory".
For the first half of "The Ballad of Jane Doe", she simply sat on the floor, staring blankly.
For the second half on the other hand, she sounded seconds away from SOBBING, while everybody else covered up her body with the customary black umbrellas.
At the final high note, the rest of the choir lifted Jane, before setting her on her back, and covering her front with black roses.
Just like the Raleigh production, you can really get the impression that they're trying to come up with a new birthday song from the top of their heads.
JANE HAPPY STIMMED WHEN RICKY GAVE HER A NEW NAME! THEY ARE SO IN LOVE!
During Constance's speech, she was sitting on a stool, giving "tragic self-deprecating stand-up comedian" vibes in both her body language and delivery.
Misha RECOILED in disgust, after playing the role of the carnie.
During "Jawbreaker", Ricky and Jane each put their hand on Constance's shoulders.
During the chorus to "Sugar Cloud", everybody else just skipped around and HUGGED each other!
Constance let down her pigtails after her long note!
After getting her memories back, Penny HUGGED KARNAK! And later, she held the choir's hands in a chain, as they were sent to the afterlife!
Any other questions about the show would be greatly appreciated!
"123, 123, 123..4, this is the new song we sing for birthdays. Bouncy and merry, and not quite as...scary, the New Birthday Song." - Ocean O'Connell Rosenberg, Ride The Cyclone, 'The New Birthday Song'
