Begin Again is a redemption story, wrapped in a conflict between art and commerce, embedded in a love letter to NYC. It doesn’t break any new ground, but it’s a fine confection and a joy to watch.
Gretta (Emma Busse) and Max (Kevin William Paul), a couple from Erie, PA, have come to the city for their big break. Without warning, Gretta’s talented songwriting and a viral video suck Max into the “star-making machinery.” While he is out pursuing fame, she is left to her own devices.
At loose ends, Gretta joins her buddy Stevie (Casey Whyland) at an open mic night and is soon pulled onstage. Dan (Patrick Heusinger), a down-on-his-luck music exec, is so moved by her performance that he immediately offers her a deal.
Can Dan deliver? Gretta is unsure and conflicted by what she’s seeing in the music business. She envisions a pure relationship between artist and audience and sees the industry as a redundant layer that cheapens everything, including her. She protests a lot. Still, what’s she going to do, go back to Eerie? Gretta and Dan come to an agreement and embark on a guerilla record-making campaign.
Gretta and Dan are serious people with serious emotions, so their interactions can lean a bit heavy at times. The show compensates with an incredible supporting cast. Miriam (Adrienne Walker) is Dan’s not quite ex-wife. Her energy is: “I’ve already seen too much but, sure, show me more.” Their teenage daughter, Violet (Charlotte MacLeod), who happens to play bass, is confused by her parents’ relationship but rolling with it.
Whyland’s Stevie is the glue that holds the show together, part sassy best friend, part plot instigator, she lightens up the big emotions, keeps things moving along and basically steals all the scenes. Paul’s Max doesn’t get much stage time but has a great turn as flavor of the month.
The music is fun and catchy, but not particularly ear wormy. The opening number, “Song I Used to Know,” the tune that launches Max’s career, is probably the best of the lot. Still, there’s a fluidity to the music and dialogue – no awkward pauses to sing.
The main set is brilliant, evoking New York’s urban canyons without seeming too claustrophobic. It seamlessly transitions to a bar, an office, a ratty Queens apartment. It made me want to book tickets today.
Begin Again rails against the commercial algorithms that dominate pop music, but it was clearly optimized to put butts in seats, and good for the Globe. The show may take itself a little too seriously – changing the world and all – but it’s a loveable journey and a fun watch.
