Hartford

Lizzie Almost Buries the Hatchet: A 2nd Take On A Murder Musical

by Jamil Ragland | Oct 26, 2023 9:59 am

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Lizzie: A Rock Concert in 40 Whacks
Theaterworks
Hartford
Through Oct. 29

There is a long history of America’s obsession with murder. Shows like The First 48 and other reality TV that document interesting murder cases may seem like a modern phenomenon; Lizzie, playing at Theaterworks in Hartford, shows us otherwise. It’s based on what might be the first example of ​“The Trial of the Century” in American history with the murder case of Lizzie Borden.

Lizzie is a musical focused on the case of Lizzie Borden, a young woman who was accused of killing her father and stepmother with a hatchet in 1892. It stars Sydney Sheppard as Lizzie Borden, Nora Schell as maid Bridget ​“Maggie” Sullivan, Kim Onah as Lizzie’s friend/lover Alice Russell, and Courtney Bassett as her older sister, Emma Borden.

The murder had all the hallmarks that would make it a target for television producers today. There was a gruesome murder, an unbelievable suspect, and enough doubts and secrets to keep everyone guessing about the true nature of the crime. What could have possibly made Lizzie do something so horrible, and had she done it at all?

The play attempts to answer those questions, with varying degrees of success. The play assumes right off the bat that Lizzie did in fact kill her parents. While the play opens with a frame that shows Lizzie declaring her innocence, throughout the play we are treated to Lizzie voicing her disapproval of her stepmother and her growing dissatisfaction with the way her father treats her. Eventually her anger snaps, and she kills both with a hatchet. The play concludes with Lizzie’s trial and eventual acquittal.

One of the biggest concerns is how the intent of the play runs headlong into the storytelling of the play. One of the major selling points of the play is the all-woman cast. This decision ends up precluding the appearance of Lizzie’s father altogether. The audience is left hearing about his alleged acts against Lizzie, instead of seeing them dramatized on the stage. Lizzie’s father could certainly be played by a woman to maintain the casting choices, but I think it’s necessary to see the interactions between Lizzie and her father.

Another decision that holds the play back is the use of music. The script attempts to heighten moments such as Lizzie revealing her father’s abuse by setting them to rocking lyrics. But the moment doesn’t stand out, because most of the play is boisterous and loud. It’s hard to distinguish moments of pathos from regular exposition, because they’re delivered at the same volume.

One decision that stood out as a good one was the change in costumes after intermission. In the first half of the play, the characters wear era-appropriate costumes that are drab and unmemorable. After intermission, the characters switch into ​’80s rock-inspired outfits that match the music and overall energy of the production much better. I was left wondering why they didn’t start the play in those outfits.

The artistic choices of Lizzie could be changed to address the thinness of the story. At 90 minutes, the play is looking to get into Lizzie’s head and get out fast. Yet more dramatization of her relationship with her parents would make the play feel more substantial. If the script and score used musical numbers as punctuation marks on the drama instead of the vehicle for exposition, we could get more character development and depth in those quiet moments.

As it is, I appreciate the scope of what Lizzie was going for. It just falls a little short.

Looking for a second opinion? Check out my colleague Sasha Patkin’s review of the play in Concord, MA.

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Lizzie continues at Theaterworks through Oct. 29.

Jamil is going on vacation, so he’ll be back next week.