Billed as "a new madcap musical for revolutionaries of all ages," and directed by Julie Arenal and Jay Binder, "Timmy the Great" is a fun, if slightly muddled, good time -- especially if you're a contemporary of the 9-year-old protagonist. Running now through September 1 at Theater For The New City, the show is adapted for the stage by Sandra Hochman from her own 1999 children's book of the same name. It tells the story of Prince Timmy, who inherits the throne of the Kingdom Of Hearts after the untimely death of his father, King Edward the Sensible. As three conniving kings from neighboring kingdoms conspire to steal the Kingdom Of Hearts from Timmy, the young monarch must come up with a plan to keep hold of his country without resorting to violence.
By far the biggest asset "Timmy" has going for it is the strength of its cast, both young and old. Jason Pintar as King Edward is the best of the bunch, opening the show with an energetic blast and keeping the momentum rolling at full steam with his wide smile and powerful baritone. Unfortunately, Pintar spends 95% of Act 2 offstage, and the second half of the play suffers for it. Other highlights in the cast include Tommy J. Dose, Ricky Altamirano, and Andy Schneeflock as the three bumbling kings (Andre The Gluttonous, Marvin The Slow-Minded, and John The Nervous, respectively); they have a terrific Three Stooges-like chemistry and sense of comedic timing. Of the children in the cast, Anna McCarthy is by far the most confident, almost stealing the show with her clear voice and Pippi Longstocking hair. As for Cormac Cullinane as Timmy, what he may lack in stage presence, he makes up for with a surprisingly large voice and a tow-headed relatability (he calls to mind the long-lost brother of Luke from "Modern Family").
The intimate space and the stripped-down set provide a childlike innocence to the production. The show appropriately feels like a bunch of children playing make-believe with such ramshackle effects as invisible pie fights and a horse played by two dancers prancing around stage. The music by Gary Kupper is light and toe-tapping, if not particularly memorable -- audience members are unlikely to leave the theater humming any of the tunes.
But the show's biggest drawback is its scrambled themes. When presenting material to children, it is imperative to have a clear-cut message that they can latch onto and remember, and I'm not sure that "Timmy" is successful in this regard. The musical seems to transition through at least three big allegories in its two-hour running time. At the start it seems like a treatise on the state of art in the world today, as the artistic citizens of the Kingdom Of Hearts are told that their country is bankrupt because no one is interested in their exports anymore. Then it transitions into a reflection on the roles of children vs. adults, as the kingdom goes topsy-turvy with children taking on grown-up responsibilities and grown-ups acting like children. And finally it becomes a commentary on the evils of war, with Timmy having to come up with a nonviolent way to protect his kingdom. While it is admirable that the writers have attempted to tackle several large issues, it is likely to come across as confusing for the younger audience members.
That being said, "Timmy the Great" is undoubtedly a fun time, and children are bound to enjoy the exploits of Prince Timmy, his gospel-singing Minister, and the bumbling, villainous kings. It should be a great way to entertain your kids for a couple of hours, far better than taking them to see "Smurfs 2".
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