"...the tone, vocals and lyrics were so soulful it had to be sinful." Photo by Joseph Moran

“Ya know it’s funny how things seem one way, then you find out things ain’t the way they looked to you” (Bad da Boom)

This was just one of the many tunes I had gleefully stuck in my head a week after seeing The Total Bent. The production was directed by the well known Joanna Settle at The Public Theater, a venue that is known for actors who deliver performances to remember.

The Total Bent is a musical about the struggle between a father and son duo. The scenes transpired in a recording studio where the protagonist, Marty Roy, fights what he believes to be the injustice that was imposed upon him. Marty wants to sing Rock and Roll and wear tight leather pants. Instead his father, Joe Roy who learned from the mistakes he made with his wife, insists on forcing Marty to sing southern Christian songs; the kind that speaks to the hearts of the “white people.”  The actors take you through the struggles that Marty faces when he challenges his father’s authority while also keeping you wandering about the mystery behind his mothers death. Hints such as the mentioning of a tragedy involving his mother, were slyly thrown our way in order to leave us pondering as to why Marty truly hates his father. One of the direct struggles we went through with Marty was the loss of his electricity due to unpaid bills. The use of lighting completely engulfed us into his experience. The play entertains and is purposely filled with contradictions where Joe would yell something obscene at Marty; like orders to sing his “church song, bitch!”

It all kept my eyes glued to the stage. The lights were worked in a way where your eyes, which were once darting around the stage, had suddenly been forced to focus on a particular detail engraved in the act. The entire play was filled with a combination of drums and guitars, and Oh! That piano! The tight pants and “smooth” suits all added to the authenticity of the play. It recreated what one would envision a rebellious teenager of such times would look like. The music engulfed the entire room and at times filled my eardrums with a familiar “churchy” music that at the same time was quite different from the norm. I say this because although sprinkled with basic church beats, the tone, vocals and lyrics were so soulful it had to be sinful.

Joe’s voice range was combined with Marty’s tone, which had a deep tranquility to it. When they sang together, along with the combination of the organ, a computed guitar and the drums, your heart soared. There were back up singers who made the vocal experience for the audience even better. All these singers added to a collaboration that felt as though an actual concert was at play. The live music performances and the radio talk show host kept the audience laughing and left them with a real southern-feel, once again adding to the authenticity of the play.

I would definitely recommend the Total Bent to anyone who likes to have fun and enjoys a live musical. Especially one that tells a story full of life lessons and struggles expressed in ways as simple as drum beats or humming.  Total Bent was a great performance, filled with contradictions and beautiful music. Everything was done to ensure a good time.