Reviews

In 1982, a thirty-something truck driver in San Pedro attached several helium balloons to a garden chair and when his friends untied the makeshift craft, he went soaring into the air. He soon became cold and dizzy and he shot several of the balloons with a pellet gun to return to earth. He was lucky to escape with his life and he was fined $4,000 for violating regulations.

This news story about an unexceptional man who did an exceptional thing is the basis for the musical, Fall Of The Lawnchair Man. I expected it to be metaphorical but no, it is simply a lightweight fantasy about a man who wants to fly, albeit based on fact. The musical was performed off-Broadway in 2006 and had its European premiere at LIPA on 24 January. It was staged in LIPA’s Sennheiser Studio with a skilfully designed set in which the facades of four suburban houses could be converted to a Wal-Mart snack bar, a living room, a garage and a toll booth.

The 13 strong cast have numerous costume changes, often with comic effect. For example, when he is airborne, the pilot, Big Jack Preston (Aaron J Snyder) has large aircraft wings on his shoulders so the dancers have to duck at the right moment. He is accompanied by the air stewardess, Blaire (Emily Barlow), and their comic number, What Is That, is amongst the highlights.

Right from the start, when a cast member mimes mowing the lawn, this is a highly entertaining evening. The opening song, Everything Is Perfect In Passaic, is wryly satirical and sets the tone.

Jerry’s mother (Nicola Daniels) is entrenched in domesticity and concern about what the neighbours think, but the subplot in which it is revealed that she was a rebellious hippie is undeveloped, nor are the remarks about Jerry being dyslexic: quite possibly these are left over from a longer version of this 90 minute musical.

Jerry is inspired to fly after watching the 1956 French film, The Red Balloon, with Gracie. The comic song that summarises the movie is delightfully performed by Melissa Daly and David R Butler. It causes the hapless Jerry to give up his job at the Wal-Mart where his long-suffering boss Mr Frankell with the malfunctioning tannoy is played by Paddy Clarke.

The lawnchair man hallucinates while he is flying which leads to cameo songs from the aviation pioneers, Leonardo Da Vinci (Charlie Ryan seizing the moment for a comic three minutes), Charles Lindberg (Robert Holland) and, best of all, Ameila Earhart (Louise Cobb), in which the aviators all give Gerry advice.

Flight Of The Lawnchair is directed with pace by Iain Davie and the musicians, led by Ruth Alexander Rubin, serve the players well. This is a very entertaining flight for both the audience and the lawnchair man.