In 1994, writer Harry Shearer, best known for The Simpsons and This Is Spinal Tap, joined forces with Tom Leopold of Cheers and Seinfeld to create a radio satire about J. Edgar Hoover, the controversial director of the FBI for almost fifty years. Hoover became notorious for allegedly blackmailing successive presidents to secure his position, refusing to investigate organised crime in the United States, and relentlessly cultivating his own public image. Behind the façade of the fearless crime-fighting anti-communist crusader, however, lay a secret life, including a long-term relationship with fellow FBI agent Clyde Tolson and the enduring stories surrounding the famous photograph of Hoover in drag. Hoover was also a gambler associated with various mobsters. This is material ripe for satire, and Shearer and Leopold have the impeccable comic credentials to tackle it. For Here Comes J. Edgar! A Comedy Musical they are joined by the award-winning composer Peter Matz, whose score playfully spoofs the golden age of Broadway with infectious melodies and lavish production numbers. Anyone with even a passing familiarity with classic American musicals will recognise countless affectionate nods and musical in-jokes. The show's material and its presentation prove to be a parodic goldmine and these creators are the perfect gang to exploit it. However, the show's greatest strength is also its greatest limitation. It is unapologetically rooted in mid-twentieth-century American culture, and much of its humour depends upon personalities such as Walter Winchell and John Dillinger while references to Randolph Scott and John Garfield are probably lost on a contemporary audience. The show is also very American and many jokes may not land as effectively with a modern British audience. Although the themes of hypocrisy, corruption and the abuse of power remain strikingly relevant, the musical does not draw explicit parallels with the present day. Instead, it chooses the safer target of lampooning a disgraced and largely forgotten historical figure. A sharper contemporary edge might have given the satire greater bite. Nevertheless, the performances ensure that the evening rarely loses momentum. Bryan Batt delivers a wonderfully judged characterisation of Hoover, capturing both the man's bombastic public persona and a seemingly buried sentimentality. Hugo Bolton is equally impressive as Clyde Tolson, bringing a certain winsomeness and vulnerability to his character. In their love duets such as “Will you be my lifetime assistant?” the pair almost make us sympathise with these two deeply flawed individuals. The supporting cast is uniformly excellent and the ensemble throw themselves into the show's whirlwind of musical pastiche with infectious energy. Numbers such as "Publicity" and the delightfully wicked song performed by the four presidents whom Hoover served under are among the evening's humorous highlights, combining clever lyrics with impeccable comic timing. Here Comes J. Edgar! A Comedy Musical may not work for everyone, but it is an entertaining investigation of one of America's most controversial public figures.
Rated: ★★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Mark Douet
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