THE OUTSIDERS - Bernard B Jacobs Theatre (06/11/24)

In times when friction between rich and poor is particularly high, it seems fitting that a musical adaptation of S. E. Hinton’s novel has become one of the biggest broadway hits of recent years. The Outsiders is told from the perspective of teenager Ponyboy Curtis, as it follows two feuding gangs of teens, west side rich kids “socs” and east side working-class “greasers”, the latter group to which Curtis and his friends belong.

The cast of The Outsiders (credit: Matthew Murphy)

This show shares a lot in common with Bernstein and Sondheim’s West Side Story, especially in its representation of gang rivalry; the main distinction, aside from the location, is the distinctly more gritty, scrappy nature of the story, and its characters and relationships. You feel the genuine hatred between the two gangs, however in spite of a terrific build of tension, there remains a glaring question mark left over what started the rivalry in the first place.

The score by Clay, Chance and Levine is arguably the big draw for this show, a wonderful blend of rock and roll, folk and swing, there’s a youthful swagger about it that, combined with a predominantly young cast, has younger audiences in particular hugely excited, and rightfully so. We have wonderful exposition from songs such as "Tulsa 1967", a great act 1 character building duet between Ponyboy and Cherry, and the utterly heart-wrenching folk inspired ballad "Stay Gold".

In terms of the narrative and its delivery, the largely expositional first act does suffer from some corny dialogue and acting choices, especially in the more confrontational scenes that are more reminiscent of Grease, however this is more than rectified from the final act 1 sequence onwards, with the material after the break containing some of the most thrilling, edge-of-seat action I’ve seen on stage, especially the fight choreography by Rick and Jeff Kuperman.

Sky Lakota-Lynch and Joshua Boone (credit: Matthew Murphy)

In leading man Brody Grant, we have found a raw, natural talent, whose soulful vocals, and commanding stage presence, had us transfixed from start to finish. And though each member of the cast had moments to shine, pick of the day was Joshua Boone as Dallas, giving a nuanced, emotionally mature performance, in which he wore his heart fully on his sleeve.

Other standouts include Sky Lakota-Lynch as Johnny Cade, in an awkward yet hugely endearing performance, and Emma Pittman's endlessly charming performance as

Cherry Valance. What this show lacks in expositional engagement, it more than makes up for in character and relationship building, quality of performances, and a finale that breaks everyone’s hearts, providing a poignant payoff to a bumpy but exciting ride.

★★★★☆

The Outsiders currently plays at the Bernard B Jacobs Theatre