{"id":114551,"date":"2025-05-23T15:25:27","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T19:25:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=114551"},"modified":"2025-05-26T08:00:01","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T12:00:01","slug":"scrutiny-piercing-honesty-characterizes-michael-r-jacksons-groundbreaking-strange-loop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/05\/23\/scrutiny-piercing-honesty-characterizes-michael-r-jacksons-groundbreaking-strange-loop\/","title":{"rendered":"SCRUTINY | Piercing Honesty Characterizes Michael R. Jackson\u2019s Groundbreaking A Strange Loop"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Malachi
Malachi McCaskill in Soulpepper Theatre\u2019s A Strange Loop (Photo: Dahlia Katz)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Musical Stage Co., Soulpepper, Crow\u2019s Theatre & TO Live\/A Strange Loop, book, music and lyrics by Michael R. Jackson, music direction by Chris Tsujiuchi, choreographed by Rodney Diverlus, directed by Ray Hogg, Baillie Theatre, Young Centre for the Arts, closes June 8. Tickets here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Some Broadway shows become the stuff of legends.<\/p>\n

Only 10 musicals have ever won the Pulitzer Prize for drama, while very few have the book, music and lyrics written by the same person. Such a musical is the semi-autobiographical A Strange Loop by Michael R. Jackson which also won Tony Awards in 2022 for both Best Musical and Best Book.<\/p>\n

Needless to say, A Strange Loop is a very special theatrical offering.<\/p>\n

The Main Theme<\/h3>\n

The main character called Usher refers to himself as living in a fat, Black, queer body, and so right from the start we know we have someone who is coping badly with identity, sexuality and body image issues, and who is wracked with self-doubt as he attempts to deal with the anxieties and social pressures that pervade his life.<\/p>\n

A Strange Loop is a story about personal struggles and deeply felt hopes as we are taken into Usher\u2019s mind. This musical is deeply introspective.<\/p>\n

The Characters<\/h3>\n

There are seven actors on the stage \u2014 Usher, and his six Thoughts who are a Black, queer ensemble of various genders.<\/p>\n

These boisterous and unruly Thoughts are a Greek chorus of ideas that inhabit Usher\u2019s inner psyche and cause havoc in his mind because they feed into his self-destructive tendencies. They have names like \u201cDaily Self-Loathing\u201d, \u201cSupervisor of \u2018Sexual Ambivalence\u201d and \u201cInner White Girl\u201d. They also reinforce his self-loathing by piling on self-criticism.<\/p>\n

When needed, the Thoughts become other people in Usher\u2019s imagination like his parents, real life celebrities or historical figures, but their characterizations are skewered through the prism of Usher\u2019s jaundice eye.<\/p>\n

\"Malachi
Malachi McCaskill and cast in Soulpepper Theatre\u2019s A Strange Loop (Photo: Dahlia Katz)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Story Line<\/h3>\n

Usher\u2019s day job is working at the theatre where The Lion King is playing, but he really aspires to write an original musical about a Black queer man who is writing an original musical about a Black queer man who is writing an original musical about a Black queer man, and so it goes ad infinitum. Hence the title A Strange Loop (although the phrase has other meanings as well).<\/p>\n

Usher feels he has to write the musical himself because there are so few opportunities for fat, Black, queer wannabes to have a career in musical theatre.<\/p>\n

His religious family, who believe he will burn in hell because of his homosexuality, want Usher to write Gospel plays like the uber successful Tyler Perry, and an opportunity does comes Usher\u2019s way when he is asked to ghost write for Perry, the fallout of which is one of the darkest and most satiric chapters in the play.<\/p>\n

The Structure<\/h3>\n

The structure of the musical follows Usher\u2019s inner journey in no particular order, just as our minds dart about in chaotic fashion, but this is where Johnson\u2019s cleverness comes into play.<\/p>\n

What is a very dark throughline is offset by catchy upbeat songs with hummable melodies and deliciously clever lyrics that propel the plot. A lighter side is also generated by laugh-out-loud satire that arises out of bizarre or surprising situations.<\/p>\n

The encounters between Usher and the Thoughts also provide much amusement at Usher\u2019s expense, particularly when they comment negatively on his play, or worse, make suggestions.<\/p>\n

Thus, Jackson has buried the bleak journey through Usher\u2019s tormented thoughts under a blanket of showbiz razzle dazzle. A Strange Loop is all smoke and mirrors.<\/p>\n

Summary<\/h3>\n

A Strange Loop is both a comedy and a drama about a young man feeling trapped in his life and wanting to change but not knowing how. What stands out is the piercing honesty of the material as Usher\u2019s mind touches on racism, depression, suicidal thoughts, and even domestic abuse and sexual assault.<\/p>\n

A Strange Loop is so dense with themes and ideas and concepts and astute observations and probing questions that you need a suitcase to unpack them all.<\/p>\n