NY Review: 'The Material World'

What is a protest with no outcome? At what point are you just hanging out instead of taking a stand? Dan Fishback's absurdist musical "The Material World," the second installment in the "Ian Fleishman Trilogy," takes these questions to the Bronx in the 1920s, where a socialist Russian family must decide whether to stay in America or move back home. Fused with contemporary culture, the musical, elegantly staged by director Stephen Brackett, may not make a whole lot of sense, but it sure is amusing.

Despite the references to current and historical events, realism is not the order of the day. The family lives in a house with Madonna and her ward, Britney Spears, and this entirely random and seemingly pointless addition does much for entertainment value but little else. Fishback's score has a Duncan Sheik quality to it, and the opening feels vaguely like a number from "Spring Awakening": As three sisters express their differing desires for fame, revolution, and beauty, the catchy pop tune definitely gets into your head. The middle sister, Gittel, is a reluctant American and wants to move back to pre-Soviet Russia, where she can spark revolution, while her older sister longs for the American dream. Gittel is our heroine, who quests blindly for change. Meanwhile, Madonna teaches Britney her kabbalah practices, while Web series darling Cole Escola plays Ian Fleishman, a young activist of the Facebook generation. His song "Be a Doer on Your Own" is a comic highlight.

However, the show belongs to Molly Pope. As her showstopping 11 o'clock number puts it, she is "fucking great"—and then some. Though her Russian matriarch character is a bit of a caricature, Pope balances parody with realism in one of the greatest downtown performances I have ever seen. All of the actors are fully committed, though sometimes at the expense of building a believable arc. Megan Stern leads the show as Gittel, but her youthful fervor starts to fade as the proceedings wind down, and she ultimately comes across as somewhat one-note. Lisa Clair's pitch-perfect Britney, complete with excellent costuming by Deb O, steals every scene, and Fishback manages to turn her into a three-dimensional character, even if she is tangential to the plot. Amy Gironda is slightly irritating as Madonna, but the performer as written is less than alluring, so the annoying qualities can't be blamed on the actor. Eleanor Reissa and Leo Schaff round out a talented cast.

Fishback's book thins out as the play progresses. The first act feels purpose-driven, but the second fizzles out, with little action. It's unclear what you're supposed to take away from the show. Should we feel keyed up for revolution or thankful for our good-enough America? There is no middle ground. Maybe that's the point.

Presented by Dixon Place, BAX/Brooklyn Arts Exchange, and Matthew Keesan as part of the Hot! Festival at Dixon Place, 161A Chrystie St., NYC. July 6–Aug. 2. Fri. and Sat., 7 p.m. (212) 219-0736 or www.hotfestival.org.