"Go Ahead, Make My Millenium": "Beetlejuice" Haunts Broadway

Lydia (Sophia Anne Caruso) and Betelgeuse (Alex Brightman) face off in "Beetlejuice."

The “ghost with the most” is back, and he’s on Broadway! Beetlejuice debuted at the Winter Garden Theatre last night.

The musical, which is based on the hit film from 1988, tells the frighteningly fun tale of Lydia Deetz, a goth teenager who befriends the ghosts of Adam and Barbara Maitland, her home’s previous owners. When the trio attempts to rid the house of other humans, they invoke the talents of Betelgeuse (pronounced “Beetlejuice”), a mischievous spirit with ulterior motives, who quickly wreaks havoc in the human world.

Directed by Alex Timbers, the show allegedly stays true to the film’s plot, while also adding more emotional depth to the character of Lydia (played by Sophia Anne Caruso), who grieves the loss of her mother in the show.

Even with its added character development, the show apparently stays true to its “flashy” roots, boasting an elaborate house set and haunting special effects. But, at the end of the day, is “flashiness” enough to make it on Broadway?

Although critics praised Beetlejuice’s staging and cast, particularly Caruso and Alex Brightman (“Betelgeuse”), they slammed the show’s pacing issues, “uneven” score, and reimagination of Betelgeuse as a narrator-figure rather than the primary antagonist.

I adored Beetlejuice (the film!) growing up, but I am always cautious with my expectations for film-to-Broadway adaptations. In this case, it seems that my concerns are valid. Even if a show has the voices and acting chops for the roles, which Beetlejuice does, it must stay true to the basic elements of storytelling: pacing and characterization. Here, the musical seems to fall drastically short, which is disappointing to fans of film and theatre alike.

Despite its flaws, Beetlejuice is, as The Hollywood Reporter said, a “loving homage to a wonderfully weird original.” So, brace yourself, because “it’s showtime!”

(LU)