Calgary's Punk Rock Musical Takes Aim at Political Corruption
The satirical edge in Hucksterland The Musical is anything but subtle, delivering a powerful critique of political corruption through a punk rock lens. Created by Calgary's Governor General Award-winning playwright Caleigh Crow, this production turns its attention to systemic corruption within politics, with particular focus on the housing market's exploitative practices.
A Velvet Sledgehammer Approach to Social Commentary
Crow employs what might be described as a velvet sledgehammer technique, hammering home her points consistently throughout the 105-minute performance. While the approach doesn't leave audiences with literal headaches, the messages about corruption come through loud and clear. The production's intensity is matched by its musical volume, with attendees at the Alexandra Centre auditorium offered earplugs upon entry in recognition of the rock musical's powerful soundscape.
However, the musical's volume occasionally overwhelms the lyrical content, with Sacha Crow's compositions sometimes drowning out Gus Rendell's lyrics. This creates a missed opportunity, as Rendell's words likely contain equally important commentary about high-level corruption that deserves clearer articulation.
Plot and Characters: A Tale of Greed and Resistance
The narrative introduces audiences to super landlord and property developer Jordan Jamison, portrayed by Mike Tan, and Mayor Jan Van Jan, played by Josh Bertwistle. These characters engage in aggressive gentrification tactics, buying up apartment complexes in poor neighborhoods, demolishing them, and replacing them with luxury skyscraper condominiums. Properties they cannot purchase mysteriously burn down, while profits are funneled into offshore accounts after paying off accomplices.
Their corrupt empire faces disruption when prosecutor Belinda Moss, played by Michelle Thrush, decides to take them down. Moss teams up with Jamison's idealistic assistant Aspyn, portrayed by Safia Comtois-Mohamad, to uncover the paper trail that could expose the duo's illicit activities.
Contrasting Acting Styles and Directorial Choices
Crow demonstrates greater strength as a writer than as a director in this production, which she also staged. The play features two distinct acting styles that create an interesting, if sometimes jarring, contrast. Tan and Bertwistle deliver loud, obvious caricatures that establish a cartoonish tone at the play's opening.
This approach contrasts sharply with Michelle Thrush's completely realistic portrayal of prosecutor Belinda Moss. Her scenes, particularly those with Comtois-Mohamad, lean more toward drama than melodrama, creating a tonal shift that requires audience adjustment as the production switches between the women's serious performances and the men's exaggerated characterizations.
Memorable Moments and Theatrical Impact
Hucksterland contains wonderfully outrageous scenes, including one where Jamison and Van Jan spread cocaine across an office table, engaging in snorting and cavorting that proves both hilarious and effective. Both actors commit fully to these moments, inviting audiences to revel in the caricatures alongside them.
However, the play's conclusion, featuring a descent into hell, leans more toward juvenile theatrics than dramatic resolution. Despite this, the production succeeds in delivering its central message about political corruption through bold, unapologetic theater that refuses to pull punches in its critique of systems that exploit housing markets for personal gain.
