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FALSETTOS (2016 Revival): Play FULL LENGTH Reaction! PATREON COMMISSION! (Patreon)

Published:
2026-04-17 21:43:15
Edited:
2026-04-19 13:51:31
Imported:
2026-04
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Content

*SONOROUS HEADPHONE WARNINGS*

When patron Pancake commissioned this play, I had no idea it had such a following -- BUT I GET IT, NOW. The cast is STELLAR, the plot is unexpected, but it becomes a look into an emerging darkness in American history and a glimpse into gender roles, romance, and the human condition I was not prepared to be so invested in! Let's GO, and thank you, Pancake, for the goodness in this commission!

Link to play on YouTube: https://youtu.be/U_C4H9fk9GU?is=vX-al5pv8o5dvNkF

LINK TO PIP REACTION: https://share.vidyard.com/watch/eKE7CNMtkAhSw88iJiR5BY

Thank you for watching with me and for all the support!

Files

Romania Black - FALSETTOS (2016 Revival): Play Reaction! PATREON COMMISSION!

LINK TO PIP REACTION: https://share.vidyard.com/watch/eKE7CNMtkAhSw88iJiR5BY **SONOROUS HEADPHONE WARNINGS** LINK TO YOUTUBE PLAY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_C4H9fk9GU When patron Pancake commissioned this play, I had no idea it had such a following -- BUT I GET IT, NOW. The cast is STELLAR, the plot is unexpected, but it becomes a look into an emerging darkness in American history and a glimpse into gender roles, romance, and the human condition I was not prepared to be so invested in! Let's GO, and thank you, Pancake, for the goodness in this commission! Thank you for watching with me and for all the support! #romaniablack #falsettos #playreaction #patreoncommission Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/RomaniaBlack My Anime: https://myanimelist.net/profile/RomaniaBlack Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/RomaniaBlack You can mail me a letter or anything (except food, please) at this address: Romania Black PO Box 768 Harrisburg, IL 62946 USA

Comments

Rain Bubble

Love this musical!❤️

Sunspots

Loved the reaction and discussion! I’d heard of this show before, but had never seen it – so it was really great to finally get a chance to watch it, and alongside your reaction. 🥰 I recognised a few people but specifically Tracie Thoms (Dr Charlotte)! She is an absolute icon, I love her so much. All the performers were so stunning and I loved the way they used everyone’s physicality. Various things I loved: “Marvin at the psychiatrist, a three-part mini-opera” relatable 😂 There were definitely a few refrains I’d heard elsewhere but now I know they were from here! The carrot comedy 😂 Trina had the best numbers overall, I definitely agree “Biblical times” 🤣 The amazing set design! Most of all the fact that it entirely works to help the character work “And God knew. Because God hated his” 🤣 Musically, I think my favourite number overall was “You Gotta Die Sometime” One of the blocks becoming a damned tombstone, damn you, show! 😭 Now, themes of resistance?! 😂 I mean, it’s a musical, almost literally everything from the construction to the composition to the content! The thing for me is… Marvin, Marvin, Marvin. I understand the way he is the heart of the show and is deliberately presented as someone a little difficult to empathise with a fair amount of the time. His resistance against the world is about trying to reclaim his own truth and freedom… But to me he just ends up reproducing the same coercive societal dynamic, just on a smaller interpersonal scale. His desire for a “tight-knit family” is not about anyone else, or the level of care he wanted to show towards others, it is about him wanting to be the supermassive black hole at the centre of all of those people’s admiration. "I only wanted to see my face in yours" - ugh, fuck that guy, tbh. I love that ultimately Whizzer did not want to conform to what Marvin wanted and that Trina was able to move on. So I guess most of all here, I love the fact that resisting Marvin’s terrible gravitational pull is something everyone gets to do, everyone gets to assert themselves at different times and in different ways. I loved the amount of the internal world we got for Jason, Trina and Whizzer! And in the end, Jason is the best! “Why don’t you feel alright for the rest of your life?” Words to live by. Thank you to Pancake for this amazing commission! Looking forward to the next entry! 💙

romaniablack

Yay!! It's such a good one; I really enjoyed it so much!! Thank you for the comment!

Pancake

Hooooo boy, I don’t even know where to start with this comment. After you suggested posting multiple ones on Discord, an idea came to my mind. So welcome to: My Falsettos obsession - a 3-part (not mini) comment. Oh and please don’t take this as any kind of serious literary analysis, there are plenty of fans who can do that way better than me. The characters and lyrics in this show have so much to dig into. Just think of this as me sitting next to you while we watch, constantly pointing at the screen and rambling about things I notice lol. These takes mostly come from me rewatching the show more times than I can count, along with ideas and analyses I’ve seen from other people. Part 1: Ramblings about the cast, the creators, the set, and the name of the show. About how I found this musical? So when I asked you about commission, I mentioned Legally Blonde and this one. Legally Blonde is actually one of my comfort musicals, and I really love Christian Borle as Emmett in that show. So when I was looking up content about it, I came across pictures of him playing a gay character in this one. I was like, oh, interesting, and just noted the name Falsettos so I could watch it later. It wasn’t much later that I finally noticed who was playing his boyfriend. I knew Andrew Rannells from The Book of Mormon musical, and his performance at the Tonys on YouTube. His voice and the way he performs really left an impression on me. So I was like, these two??? as lovers??? Sign me right up! Then I watched it and my life was changed, ahahaha. This show is just so special to me. I don’t think any piece of media can be perfect, but for me, it’s perfect in all the ways that matter, so that’s enough. I do have one criticism though, but I’ll mention that later. I already talked about the cast a bit on Discord, but seriously, all of them are so talented and did an amazing job with this material. Both the original 1992 production and this revival were actually directed by James Lapine, the same guy behind Into the Woods (collaborated with Stephen Sondheim). From the interviews I’ve seen, the cast really appreciated having the creative freedom to shape their own versions of the characters in this revival, and I love every single one of them for it. The show was nominated for Best Revival at the Tonys. For the cast, Christian Borle, Andrew Rannells, and Stephanie J. Block were all nominated too, but they didn’t win anything. I’m still very very very bitter about that. William Finn, the creator of this musical, passed away last year. RIP to a legend. Knowing he was a Jewish gay man writing this show makes it make so much more sense. He drew a lot from his own experiences, weaving Jewish and gay identity into his plays. The set with the cube is honestly brilliant. Like the wiki mentioned, it can represent a children’s toy, reflecting the immature nature of the men in the story. But it also symbolizes the constantly shifting family dynamic throughout the show. At the beginning, the cube breaks apart, showing how the tight-knit family Marvin wanted falls apart when he leaves for Whizzer. Then, in the song where Mendel and Trina are building a new life together, they’re literally constructing a new home out of those same blocks. However, the cube isn’t the only set this show has. When Whizzer gets sick, it disappears completely and is replaced with realistic hospital furniture. It makes everything feel suddenly real, the kind of reality so many people had to face back then. Then after Whizzer dies, the cube comes back, with the characters putting all the blocks together again. The people around Marvin come together through that tragedy, forming the kind of tight-knit family he has always wanted. But one block is missing, used as Whizzer’s gravestone, showing that this family will always be incomplete, missing a piece that can never be replaced. The name Falsettos, like you said, reflects the immaturity of the men, and I think that really applies more to Act 1, March of the Falsettos. Fun fact: William Finn originally wanted to call it The Pettiness of Misogyny, but went with something more subtle instead. That title idea really shows how Act 1 is all about the consequences of immature men and misogyny on themselves and the people around them. But in Act 2, Falsettoland, I think the meaning shifts more toward something Finn mentioned in an interview, that falsetto is a voice outside the normal range, so the story is about people living outside of what’s considered “normal.” Times are changing, and the traditional family dynamic isn’t really the standard anymore. In the first song of Act 2, you can literally see them building three houses with the blocks, just for Marvin to knock them all down, representing how fragile these family structures are. About In Trousers, you can find the original soundtrack on YouTube. Listening to it, I think I might understand why it wasn’t very successful. I do think it’s good, and I like it, but I also feel like I was able to stay invested because I already care about Marvin as a character. It’s also a very non-literal show, which a lot of people will find hard to follow, I still do in a lot of parts. It feels almost like a fever dream, and the vibe is quite different from Falsettos. There is also a stage production you can watch if you look it up, but it’s not official and is a college production from the 90s, so I would take the staging and direction with a grain of salt.

Pancake

Part 2: Ramblings about ACT 1 - The first song intentionally pokes fun at Jewish stereotypes, but also immediately shows how important that identity is to these characters and the story. So it’s not really a dated song about stereotypes at all. There’s also some symbolism you could read into with the Four Children (or Four Sons) from the Passover Seder in the Torah which could parallel the four guys singing: The Wise Child: Mendel, the psychiatrist, is constantly giving advice The Wicked Child: Whizzer, who disrupts the tight-knit family. The Simple Child: Jason, trying to have a “normal” childhood. He even calls himself simple in the song. The Child Who Doesn’t Know How to Ask: Marvin, selfish and conflicted, wants both family stability and his relationship with Whizzer. - The song also gives insight into these characters before we fully get to know them. For example, Whizzer and Marvin straight up say “We are manipulating people and we need to know our worst sides aren’t ignored” which hints at their dysfunctional relationship. Mendel sings “The guilt invested will in time pay wisely” reflecting how he feels guilty about pursuing Trina but does it anyway. When they mention the bed, Mendel boasts about being good in bed, and Whizzer especially emphasizes that he excels at it, while Marvin says he smells in bed, showing his insecurity from the very start. Trina singing “Slavery” cleaning up after the men and being ignored until the end, clearly establishes her role and the misogyny she deals with. - About names: the four men introduce themselves right away in the first song, but Trina’s name isn’t said until the seventh song, and it’s Mendel who finally says it. That really highlights how her identity and struggle aren’t acknowledged until a man brings attention to it. - Marvin calls Whizzer a “friend” twice before actually calling him his lover, which feels very nudge-nudge wink-wink, like, oh yeahhh, sure, just “friends.” But at the same time, they really aren’t friends at this point. They do love each other, sure, but their relationship is mostly built on sex and unhealthy fighting. - Mendel, I love him, but he is a HORRIBLE psychiatrist lol. He’s wildly unprofessional and invasive. He barely gives any actually good advice and uses the therapy sessions to basically give therapy to himself half the time. I want to say “Marvin is the kind of guy who would rather destroy all the important relationships in his life than go to therapy”, but that’s not even true. He DID go to therapy, the therapist is just insane and bad. He literally gets better in Act 2 with no therapist lmao. - Oh the mention of STDs here. This could imply that Marvin had them and passed them to Trina, since he was already cheating on her with other men before Whizzer. Trina’s line in I’m Breaking Down supports that: “Marvin was never mine. He took his meetings in the boys' latrine. I used to cry. He'd make a scene.” But then Trina also says, “I had something rotten, which appears though now it’s well forgotten.” Like you said, diseases like that back then were serious, but here it’s kind of brushed off, just mentioned and then moved past. Because of that, I’ve seen a lot of people interpret it as Marvin not actually having anything, and just lying so he wouldn’t have to sleep with Trina, since he’s gay. Trina later calling herself “the almost virgin” also shows how little sex they actually had. - All of the characters in this show want love, but Marvin especially is desperate for it, to the point where his insecurity shows up in everything he does. He told Jason that “Love is the most beautiful thing in the world”, but then in this song he says “Love stinks. Love is pretty often debris. When you find what you find, then never, never, never, never, never do it over again. Love reads like a bad biography. All the names are changed to protect the innocent”. I don’t think either of these is a lie. He’s desperate for love, but also fully aware of how messy and painful it can be, which just shows just how conflicted of a character he is. - Throughout Act 1, when everyone sings together, Whizzer’s voice often stands out from all of the rest and is meant to be heard, symbolizing how he doesn’t quite fit into the rest of the family since he is the one who ‘broke it up’ in a way. The first song specified him as “half Jewish” which can also hint at this. - Coming to Thrill of First Love, the Marvin and Whizzer’s song. I think there’s a really interesting reason why grown men like them call this their “first love”. For Marvin, it’s his first serious gay relationship, something he’s been denying for a long time while living as a closeted man with a wife and son for years. As for Whizzer, I also think this is his first serious relationship. He doesn’t handle attachment well, and his past relationships are implied to be mostly about sex and money. That still plays into what he has with Marvin, of course, but there’s clearly something deeper going on here. - Marvin already shows how he’s trying to push Whizzer into a more “feminine” role by telling him to “shave your legs” in this song. Not that women *have* to shave their legs, but it’s something that’s traditionally expected of them. - Here they argue about how long they’ve been together. Whizzer says nine months, while Marvin says ten. For Marvin, the longer the time, the more it proves commitment and the idea that they’ll last, so he rounds up to ten. For Whizzer, a shorter time makes it feel less serious and easier to walk away from, so he rounds down to nine. - They’re playful with each other here, but also intentionally cruel. Marvin shows annoyance at Whizzer liking traditionally “feminine” things like fashion, while also trying to push that role onto him because he wants control in the relationship. He’s frustrated that Whizzer isn’t monogamous, calling him “cheap,” and basically begging him to love him, to want him. Whizzer can also be just as childish, comparing Marvin to the “better” men he’s been with and saying if Marvin doesn’t like it, he can just leave, reducing the relationship to sex and money. Still, the way the actors play it really shows that there *are* real feelings underneath. They wouldn’t put up with this from each other if there wasn’t something there. But because they’re both immature, they can’t be honest about those feelings, so the relationship ends up running on that competitive energy instead. - When their dance became more and more sexual, you can actually see Trina look away in the background. - Next is Marvin at the Psychiatrist, a three-part mini opera. When Mendel asks about the romantic side, Marvin sounds unsure and answers “sorta kinda”. But when he’s asked about the sexual and fighting side, he immediately goes “yes, yes, yes, yes” showing that’s the only part he’s actually certain about. Marvin does actually admit he loves Whizzer here, but says he would only admit it if Whizzer says it first, which, if we know anything about Whizzer, he never will, at least in Act 1. - Oh Mendel continues to be a terrible therapist and kind of insane here lol. He’s sweating and pulls out a handkerchief to wipe his face, and it’s the same one Trina dropped in his office after the second song. How does this man keep his license again? - Marvin and Jason really show how disconnected they are, despite Marvin’s attempts to get closer to his son. Jason’s probably annoyed that his dad cares more about how handsome the pitcher is than the actual outcome of the game. While Marvin doesn’t understand why that would bother him at all, just showing how self-involved he is. (Fun thing to note: Marvin calling the pitcher handsome here, plus Whizzer liking baseball, has led to a lot of fics where Whizzer is a baseball player or Jason’s coach, which I thoroughly enjoy) - Mendel ended his session right after Marvin asked an important question about how to actually connect with his son. He does the same thing to his other client in Act 2. - Jason’s the only person in Act 1 who consistently says exactly what he thinks. A 10-year-old talking about chromosomes being passed down from parents to child, and then immediately questioning whether that means he’ll be gay too. This just shows both his intelligence and his naivete in one line. He calls his mother “no wife” and his father “no man,” which reflects a very narrow perspective in the 70s, but also shows how aware he is of the insecurities around him. Trina is insecure because her husband left her and she can’t be the “perfect housewife” Marvin expects, and Marvin is insecure because, as a gay man, he can’t maintain the traditional family he desperately wants. - Interestingly, despite all of that, the only adult whose opinion Jason seems to respect here is Whizzer, the one you’d expect him to resent for “stealing” his father away. I think he deliberately asks for Whizzer’s input partly to annoy his parents, but he also genuinely seems to like him as a person. I’ve seen a lot of fics where Whizzer used to come to their house while Marvin and Trina were still married, as Marvin’s “friend,” and that’s how Jason gets to know him more. I think part of why Jason likes Whizzer is that he talks to him like an equal, instead of constantly talking down to him like his parents. Mendel also does this later on, but he feels more like a fun, playful friend to Jason, whereas Whizzer gives off a calmer, more kind presence that Jason respects and wants to be around. - Marvin also looks really surprised here that Jason listens to Whizzer instead of him. And yeah the next song he started to put Whizzer down, showing his frustration of not being enough of a “man” in the family. - Marvin is forcing him into the traditional wife role in the relationship, and in the same song, we can see that not even Trina back then was happy with that position. Beyond the obvious internalized homophobia and misogyny, Marvin here also comes across as extremely insecure. He knows Whizzer can leave at any time because the relationship is so unstable, so he uses gender roles like a weapon to maintain control. He resents that Whizzer doesn’t love him enough and feels like Whizzer only cares about sex and money. But at the same time, he reinforces those dynamics to make Whizzer dependent on him so he won’t leave. - Trina blames herself for the marriage failing, rather than seeing Marvin’s homosexuality as the reason. She frames it as her failing to perform “wifely duties”. And while she clearly hates having to constantly cook and clean up after Marvin, she also mourns the loss of that role since it’s the only one she’s ever known and been raised into. - I’m Breaking Down is honestly one of the most iconic musical performances of all time, actually. Stephanie J. Block, what a legend. - “I caught them in the den with Marvin grabbing Whizzer's ass”. The original lyrics William Finn wrote were “Marvin stuck in Whizzer's ass” lmao, and he said he actually preferred that. - I think Trina’s biggest flaw is how she treats Jason. She’s not as bad a parent as Marvin, but she still talks down to him a lot, sees him as “crazy” and even seems to resent the parts of him that remind her of Marvin. You can see hints of that here, and even more in the next song, where she tells him to stop acting “disgusting”, says he’s “sick in the head,” and insists that is because he’s “Marvin’s child”. - But after venting her frustration about Marvin and Jason, she immediately turns it back on herself. She blames herself for freaking out, for wanting love and intimacy from a man who actually cares about her. You can see her standards slowly lowering too, from wanting someone who “loves her”, to someone who just “likes her”, and eventually deciding that someone who simply “helps her” is enough. - I really wish we got more interactions between Trina and Whizzer, they honestly feel like they could get along and bond over how shitty Marvin was to both of them lol. Here Trina even admits “As enemies go, Whizzer is not so bad” which already shows her issue was never really with Whizzer as a person. It also makes it easier to see why she’s so quick to empathize with him in Act 2 when he gets sick. - Count number n of Mendel being a horrible therapist. Like, imagine Jason venting all his concerns and problems, and Mendel’s only advice is basically “look how lucky you are, why not just feel better???”. But somehow, lucky for Mendel, it actually works with Jason. Because what Jason needs here isn’t really a doctor, he just needs someone to talk to without feeling constantly judged by his parents. Jason also manages to flip Mendel’s advice back on him, pushing him to actually do what needs to be done. So the two of them end up bonding over their own problems and over how to help Trina. - Marvin and Jason both lean on hyperbole and exaggeration to express themselves. Marvin, in therapy, says he’s “convalescing” because he can’t get along with his son, and Jason here says he gets “apoplexy” just from thinking about his father. - Jason tries to convince Mendel to feel alright because "Someone's bringing you dinner. Someone brought you your lunch. Someone's washing your laundry. Washing your socks.” The “someone” here is obviously Trina. As is a common theme in Act 1, Trina is seen by the men, even her own son, as basically just a workforce. Her name still isn’t spoken out loud until just a couple of songs ago. Marvin wasn’t attracted to her and mostly relied on her to handle chores, and Trina herself believes she was “everything he wanted” because of how well she could run the household. Jason hasn’t really learned what there is to love about a woman yet, so he just repeats what he’s absorbed from his parents about what women are “for”. He’s at least starting to recognize some of the traits he shares with his dad, like “acting the swine” and expecting Trina to clean up after them. But he still has a lot to learn and already shows the potential to fall into those same misogynistic patterns. - Mendel's inability to hide his sexual attraction to Trina in his marriage proposal is extremely awkward. But weirdly enough, it works for Trina, because she’s been craving someone who actually wants her like that after years with a man who barely paid attention to that side of her. Here, Mendel compares himself to a “piece of paper” (a marriage certificate), a “giant man” (God), a “man in pants” (Marvin, referencing In Trousers), and even “horses or zebras” (slang for straight and gay men), saying he’ll prove his love over all of them. It’s kind of clumsy, but in a strangely romantic way. - I saw some people say Marvin being annoyed that Trina moves on with Mendel proves he’s bisexual instead of gay, but that’s the point at all. As a bi person, I’d still say that interpretation doesn’t really fit what the show is doing here. Marvin is a closeted gay man who only recently came out, after growing up with the expectation of building a perfect, traditional family. He can’t keep living the lie of being a straight husband and father. But he also can’t let go of the ideal family life he thought he was taught that he was supposed to have. He wants both, he “wants it all”. He even admits he’s “self-absorbed, self-deceived” in this song. A big part of his character is fear of change: he forces change onto the people around him to match his vision, but refuses to change himself or fully let go of his old life. I believe he does love and care for Trina in some sense, but what he wants more from her is the image of a perfect wife who loves him unconditionally. - Mendel charges Marvin “eighty an hour” for being the most horrible therapist lol. I know Marvin is completely in the wrong here, but he also should be mad at Mendel, he’s just mad for all the wrong reasons. Like maybe get mad at him for invading your personal life instead, huh Marvin?? Mendel also compares himself to Jung and Freud, pointing out the similarity in how they also had personal relationships with their clients. - Trina’s song about being tired of all the immaturity in her life is really relatable. She clearly likes Mendel back, but she’s also afraid he could end up like Marvin. She resents the fact that, despite all the pain they’ve caused her, she still falls in love with them and ends up relying on them for her own happiness. But this time, she decides to take more control of the relationship, still cooking and cleaning, but also hiring a maid to ease the burden, allowing herself to be desired, and embracing a fulfilled sex life. She’s choosing to pursue happiness despite her fear and doubt. Her future, as she said, is “on trial”, but that also means she’s open to the possibility that it isn’t fixed or predetermined. That uncertainty actually becomes a positive sign for her, as she’s no longer accepting a life of sadness and failure as inevitable. - Before these two Trina songs, you can see Mendel wearing some kind of bracelet around his hand. This bracelet is now on Trina’s hand instead, symbolizing her agreement to commit to him. - The title song March of the Falsettos represents the overall theme of the musical: immature men learning and failing to grow up. Jason is the only one who doesn’t sing in falsetto, since his immaturity is more understandable because he is an actual child. All of them are very self-centered and keep insisting on getting what they want. Marvin is the obvious example. Mendel is a bad therapist who always turns therapy sessions into something about himself. Jason fears he will be like his dad and associate homosexuality with why his dad is a bad person. And Whizzer wants love with Marvin but keeps pulling away because of his fear of attachment. - Oooh okay we come to The Chess Game, aka the breakup song. The whole game is a representation of their entire relationship. Marvin keeps being condescending toward Whizzer and trying to control his moves. Whizzer isn’t good at chess, but he rejects Marvin’s help because he’s afraid of vulnerability and always putting on a facade that he can handle everything on his own. The resentment and frustration in the relationship really come through here, and sex and money are brought up again as if that’s all it comes down to. Marvin calls Whizzer “pretty”, which Whizzer now takes as a backhanded compliment, since he keeps being reduced to a dumb pretty boy, never enough for Marvin, but still someone Marvin can control to feel more like a man. Their relationship is so fragile at this point that something as simple as a chess game is enough to blow everything up, and it ends just like that. - The next song, Making a Home, has Mendel, Trina, and Jason building a home together with all the blocks. We can clearly see how this is already an improvement over Marvin and Trina’s relationship, as “men and women talking, men and women thinking out loud” shows that they’re making decisions together, instead of just a man speaking and a woman obeying. - Whizzer singing “We deceive” in this song ooooh now he is alone we can hear more of his internal thoughts, the facade he put up crumbles. - Whizzer’s solo song yayyyy. It’s not hard to see who my favorite character is, huh. He began by singing “I don't look for trouble. I do not accept blame”. Okay we are all clear that Marvin is the bigger asshole here. But Whizzer isn’t completely blameless either. He DID look for trouble by entering a relationship with a married man. His refusal to commit or show any emotional vulnerability is part of what makes their relationship fall apart. But like the other men in the show, he hasn’t fully matured yet, so he accepts none of that responsibility. - Comparing Whizzer to another character Andrew Rannells plays, Larry from The Boys in the Band, as they’re both gay men who sleep around. But Larry comes across as someone who is actually poly, and his main issue is the lack of communication about his needs with his partner. Whizzer, on the other hand, doesn’t really feel like it. When he sings “It's tough with love. Love's tough to show. Let me face the music. It's a song that I was waiting to hear so long. So long ago”, it comes across more like someone realizing he actually wants a loving and committed relationship. But because of his past habits and his fear of attachment, he keeps lying to himself and his partner. He sings about how he’s fine with all the games he plays, but you can feel that slow realization creeping in that he’s actually not okay with it at all. - Not like Marvin makes his fear of attachment any easier to deal with: “It’s hard when part of him is off playing family charades”. It’s already difficult when you’re scared of commitment, and it’s even worse when the person you want to commit to still has one foot in the life he was supposed to leave behind for you. - We come to the dreaded song “Marvin Hits Trina”, and yeah, that’s actually the title. One thing I really appreciate here is what happens after the slap. I expected Mendel to go “How dare you hit my wife?!” and turn it into a confrontation. But instead, he focuses on comforting Trina and Jason first. Marvin is already horrified by what he’s done and is backing off, so there isn’t really a need to escalate things further. And importantly, it’s not Mendel who confronts Marvin, it’s Trina. Even while she’s crying and trying to hold herself together, she’s the one who actually speaks up to him. - Coming to the song I Never Wanted to Love You. I want to point out how Trina repeats lines from the beginning of the show here, but with a big difference. At the start she sings “I’m everything he wanted. It's time I put it all together. The date was set, my father let me marry.” But now it becomes “Our hands were tied. My father cried: ‘You’ll marry!’”. She’s no longer framing it as a willing and perfect setup. Instead, she’s acknowledging that the marriage was likely forced, a shotgun wedding because she was pregnant with Jason. - Trina admits she really did love Marvin, and isn’t ashamed of it, but wants to let go. Mendel expresses his love for Trina despite crossing professional boundaries. Jason shows how he both loves and hates his dad at the same time. Whizzer admits he truly loves Marvin despite all the lies and facades. And Marvin, he says he loves Jason, but also admits he originally wanted a family just to see himself reflected in him. He also says he loves Whizzer, but hates that love because he doesn’t want to be gay. What a mess of feelings here in this song. But a theme in this musical is how people will keep throwing themselves into love despite how painful it will be for them, with Marvin being the perfect example of this at the end of Act 2. - Last song of Act 1, Father to Son. Jason is starting to grow up and show interest in girls, but he still says “I think girls are the most beautiful thing. Not love”. He refuses to connect that feeling to love because in his experience, love hasn’t been beautiful at all. To him, love is tied to all the worst things: his father leaving, hurting his mom, and being unable to truly connect with him. So when Marvin tells Jason he loves him here, it’s painful that he feels the need to add “I meant no disgrace” even though he’s being completely genuine. - We see for the first time in the show, Marvin actually express regret and take responsibility for his actions. That’s what keeps the end of Act 1 from feeling completely hopeless (especially since, originally, this was a one act musical before Act 2 was written). This moment feels like the first real step in his growing up, and maybe even a chance to stop Jason from turning out like him, to finally sing his own song and move past the “March of the Falsettos”.

Pancake

Part 3: Ramblings about ACT 2 - The first song of Act 2, Falsettoland, introduces everyone’s dynamics two years later. The lyrics, “Lovers come and lovers go. Lovers fight and sing fortissimo. Give these handsome boys a hand. Welcome to Falsettoland” will come back again at the end of the show. - Since this act is set in the early 80s and focuses heavily on the early stages of the AIDS crisis, the Reagans and their inaction toward the crisis are already brought in. Whizzer brings out an inflatable bop bag with a picture of Nancy Reagan on it, and punches it in the face. Mendel also later complains about everyone around him starting to model themselves after Ronald Reagan. - Marvin noting that “It’s about time to grow up” especially for himself but also for everyone else, comes after they have had some time apart to reflect and develop. He talks about wanting to “One day be as mature as my son, who is twelve and a half, and this tall! That’s all I’d like to be. That’s all!”, which is really funny, but it also comes back later in the act in a more meaningful way. - I think one side plot you didn’t notice is how Marvin tries to push for a different caterer for his son’s bar mitzvah. He’s not just pushing for anyone, he’s clearly trying to get Cordelia, his friend specifically. When Cordelia shows up with the food and presents it to Trina, Marvin even comes in and high-fives her after. I actually found that so cute. He keeps trying this for half of Act 2, despite how bad Cordelia’s food actually is. - This touching moment where Marvin places his hand on Jason’s shoulder and says “my child”, before Trina places her hand over his and warmly corrects it to “our child”. It is moments like this littered throughout the musical which remind us that despite having a somewhat turbulent relationship, there is love beneath it all, which is brought to the surface through their mutual love of Jason. This idea of unity and mutuality is prefaced in the song Falsettoland. - Jason ponders about inviting girls to his bar mitzvah while singing “Would they come though if they were invited? And not laugh at my Hebrew. And not laugh at my father and his friends?”. He specifically mentions “my father and his friends” (Charlotte and Cordelia) since they’re all gay, which he likely worries would be mocked or judged by others. - Okay I actually like that Marvin, despite complaining that he hates baseball, still shows up to his son’s baseball game to watch him play. And this time he’s not even distracted by a handsome pitcher. Well… until Whizzer shows up at least hahaha - Whizzer and Jason aaaaa. Their friendship is so so so precious to me. The others are just sitting there and criticizing Jason, while Whizzer actually comes and teaches him how to do it. Their conversation here kinda implies that they have stayed in contact during the two years that Marvin and Whizzer were broken up. It also feels like Jason might intentionally call Whizzer here, knowing Marvin would be there. He already set up Trina and Mendel in Act 1, so it wouldn’t be out of character for him, especially if he’s noticing that his father still isn’t fully over his ex. - Watch this baseball part again and notice how Charlotte and Cordelia react to Whizzer and Marvin, it’s just so funny lol. They immediately realize who he is before he even introduces himself. Charlotte looks exasperated, and Cordelia giggles to herself when they start flirting. Cordelia also nods when Whizzer asks “Is he still queer?”. It’s such a cute detail that makes it feel like they’ve probably heard this miserable gay man complaining about his ex to them countless times before. - “It gives me pleasure to see the hairline! Since it's the only physical imperfection that you've got. I wanna see it. I wanna touch it. I wanna run my hands through it!”. This man still has it BAD for Whizzer. - Mendel is still being unprofessional as always, but here his complaints actually carry some weight, since he is expressing frustration about the politics going on around him and everyone’s attitudes. His clients complain about disadvantaged people needing help, which will point to the broader attitudes toward the AIDS crisis at the time. His relationship with Trina is also starting to struggle a bit on the physical side since he is too exhausted after work to have any sex after. - Charlotte and Cordelia!!! I love them so much!!! They represent the healthiest relationship in the play. It’s not perfect, as Cordelia sometimes feels down on herself for not being as successful as Charlotte. But she does not let it fester into something toxic. Charlotte also never looks down on her in any way and is just grateful to have her in her life. I think Cordelia’s food isn’t necessarily bad in general, it’s more that her attempts at cooking Jewish food for the bar mitzvah keep failing since she isn’t Jewish herself. But she still tries her best for her friend, Marvin. I also like how Charlotte is introduced immediately as someone with a positive outlook on life and a lot of pride in her work as a doctor. And well… that also sows the seeds for disaster later when tragedy comes. - Here I will have my one big criticism for the show, that is not actually saying Charlotte and Cordelia’s names in the lyrics. Their names are on their clothes (Cordelia’s apron, Charlotte’s name tag), and you can also see (but not actually hear) them saying their names when introducing themselves at the baseball game. From Act 1, we already see how important names are in this show. William Finn has also said his intention with these characters was to pay tribute to the lesbians who supported gay men during the AIDS crisis. I have seen people argue that their names being absent from the lyrics reflects how lesbian contributions were often overlooked in history. While I understand that interpretation, I still think including their names in the lyrics would have made the tribute feel stronger and more impactful. - The racquetball scene between Whizzer and Marvin, I want to show you the original scripts since I found it cute and funny: [Marvin and Whizzer enter, dressed for Racquetball and holding racquets. Whizzer is all in white, looking great. Marvin is in baggy and colorful jams, looking baggy. No ball is used; rather, when they make a shot, the racquet scrapes the floor and sounds like a ball ricocheting off a racquet. Their scene is played in the court. In the course of the scene, Whizzer decimates Marvin, as you would expect.] - I really like that Whizzer is the one who’s actually good at sports here. Marvin already complains that he hates baseball, while Whizzer said that he loves it. Whizzer also mentions in Act 1 that he was trained in karate, and now he completely beats Marvin at racquetball. Despite Marvin trying to put Whizzer in a box as just a dumb pretty boy who cares about fashion, it’s Whizzer who actually shows more physical prowess. - But here is where we see the first real development in their relationship. Marvin still acts annoyed that Whizzer wins, but it’s in a playful way, and he’s not actually angry. They still keep their competitive edge, which was the fire fueling their relationship in Act 1, but now it feels a lot healthier. Marvin doesn’t care that Whizzer is winning because he can now proudly admit, “Do you know? All I want is you.” - Marvin and Trina continue to be terrible parents, making Jason’s bar mitzvah about themselves. Mendel instead appeals to the child in Jason, so he is the only one who can really relate to him and speak to him in a way that feels honest and real. - Marvin is now lying in bed with Whizzer, reflecting on their relationship. “It’s been hot” refers to the sexual side of things, which was what they mostly focused on before. But now he adds “Also, it’s been swell. More than not it’s been more than words can tell” and “And also caring. And never too uncouth” showing that it’s no longer just about sex, they’re actually becoming more caring toward each other. He admits it still isn’t perfect with “We laugh, we fumble”, but they are willing to “take it day by day”. They’re genuinely trying to change and make it work together, which is why IT IS SO UNFAIR I’M SO SAD. In Act 1, their downfall is entirely because of their own toxic traits. But now, when they’re actually trying and becoming happier, things suddenly take a turn for the worse that no one can control. - Okay the musical ends here. Happy ending. Nothing left to see folks… - So… we come to the early stage of the AIDS crisis, how it was starting to spread, but was still being ignored, barely talked about in the media, and suppressed by the administration. I’m not from the US, so I know less about it firsthand, but I did look into it myself after seeing it portrayed in movies. Lesbians like Charlotte and Cordelia were on the frontlines of care for dying gay men, providing them comfort in their last days. They were abandoned by their families and left dying alone in hospitals. This made the fact that William Finn chose to portray Whizzer being surrounded by a lot of people in the hospital even more touching. - The second round of racquetball shows Whizzer no longer able to keep up with Marvin as he starts getting sick. In the previous match, Andrew was dressed in tight clothes, but here they switch to looser fitting clothes to create the illusion that he’s losing a lot of weight. - Whizzer saying “I’m sorry” after falling down and Marvin comforting him made me feel insane. Godddd they were trying so hard to be careful with each other. Marvin act 1 “I want it all” vs Marvin act 2 “All I want is you”. Be right back I’m just gonna go cry in a corner for a bit. - Trina admits to caring about Whizzer despite trying not to aaaaaaa. And they all come for him, trying to make him feel better in their own way. I love this chosen family so much. Whizzer, who feels like an outsider in Act 1, now fits into this family dynamic so well. - Whizzer is someone who doesn’t handle vulnerability well, so having all these people around him, caring for him, clearly makes him happy, but it also makes him uncomfortable. He laughs when Jason is the only one honest enough to say he looks terrible, because he doesn’t want people softening the truth just to spare his feelings. I also think it’s the same when he tries to tell Marvin to go home. He just wants a moment to break down on his own. But Marvin, of course, refuses to leave his side, stepping into the caregiver role in a way that feels so natural for him now, something I could not imagine Marvin doing in Act 1. - FOUR unlikely lovers!! I love gay and lesbian solidarity between them!! Also love how platonic love is appreciated as much as romantic love!! - It’s heavily implied here, and in later lyrics, that Marvin might also have AIDS. And no matter what, don’t think about Jason potentially losing two father figures, or Charlotte and Cordelia losing two close friends one after the other… - You Gotta Die Sometime is amazing and absolutely devastating (I’m still mad he did not win a Tony for this). A character who is always putting up a facade finally lets himself fall apart. The way that his personification of death is a lover is also brilliant, since that’s the way he tries to find his normalcy in this situation. Whizzer repeats “sometime” over and over again at the end feel like he’s begging for more time to stay alive. - The bar mitzvah here shows not just Jason, but all the men growing up. Jason accepts that he can’t control everything, but instead of getting angry, he tries to make the best of the situation and focuses on what matters most in the moment, which is having Whizzer there with him. Mendel, by the end of this act, fully settles into a supporting role, being there for Jason, Trina, Whizzer, and Marvin, no longer the therapist who makes everything about himself. And Whizzer finally allows himself to be vulnerable, to be loved, and to give love back to the people around him. - And Marvin, oh Marvin. He has become such a better father to Jason and a better partner to Whizzer. The line “Don’t know why, but he looks like Marvin” sounds simple, but it’s actually one of the most important lines in the show. From the beginning, Jason was afraid of becoming like Marvin, and Trina resented those similarities too. Marvin also admitted that he wants to see his face in Jason. Now that they have both grown, all of them can say that they are alike without any annoyance or fear. - When Jason is reading the Torah at the end, his last word is “aba” which means “father”. This is, presumably, the last word Whizzer heard from Jason. - *What Would I Do?* is honestly one of the best love songs of all time. “Once I was told that good men get better with age. We’re just gonna skip that stage” makes me choke up every time. And Marvin, despite realizing he might also die soon, reflects on his love for Whizzer and says, “I’d do it again. I’d like to believe that I’d do it again. And again and again”. He treasures his time with Whizzer and is willing to keep opening himself up to love, even with all the pain it brings. - Marvin calling Whizzer “my friend” at the end feels so genuine. It’s completely different from Act 1, where he used “friend” in that playful, almost mocking way. They’re still lovers, yes, but what matters more now is that they have actually become partners, built real companionship with each other. - At the beginning of Act 2: “Lovers come and lovers go. Lovers fight and sing fortissimo” - Now at the end of Act 2: “Lovers come and lovers go. Lovers live and die fortissimo” - (Run back to edit to add this) Omg how could I forget? JASON PUT THE WHITE KING CHESS PIECE ON WHIZZER'S GRAVE BECAUSE HE SAID HE WOULD LET WHIZZER WIN EARLIER BUT WHIZZER WAS TOO TIRED TO FINISH THE GAME BUT JASON LET HIM WIN ANYWAY EVEN IN DEATH AAAAAAAAAAA Finally, I just want to say I’m really happy to share this show with you. I hope these things I have written here help you appreciate it even more. Thank you so so much for watching and reading this!!!

romaniablack

Thank you so much for the comment and the kind words! This was SUCH a ride! The cast was so impressive in this and yes, recognizable! Trina had the BEST numbers - cemented! There was so much to love about this - I loved the set design and how it could be taken apart - like the family structure itself - throughout this play. Especially the tombstone block? DIABOLICAL. Marvin turned out to be SUCH a character in this - the journey he goes on? Yeah, I agree that while I could empathize with Marvin’s struggles, and understand him – he is NOT a likable protagonist! And I love that Whizzer doesn’t give him the satisfaction of conforming to what he wants. In fact, all of the characters sort of just tell Marvin to his face, “No, we’re not going to give you what you want,” and for him at the start to say, “I want it all?” Ooohhhhh, it’s good story-telling and character work! Everyone getting that agency and Marvin becoming this tragic Shakespearean character was so fascinating to watch go down in this! Pancake really did a great one with this commission! I’m so glad I finally got the chance to see it! Thank you for the comment and kind words!!

romaniablack

I know that it will take me a little bit to get through these comments, but I love how much time you took to craft these - you got me obsessed with this little play! The Falsetto OBSESSION! XD I love the reference! Any rambling is a good rambling in my book! Our school did Legally Blonde last summer, so when you recommended that one, I’d sadly already seen it. I feel bad not realizing what Andrew Rannells was famous for, but then I remember seeing him in Boys in the Band! The cast is honestly SO GOOD! It would be interesting to see the 1992 version, but this one is just so good – I don’t know if I could enjoy it the same! It’s a CRIME that some of these individuals didn’t win a Tony! That’s so sad that William Finn passed last year – his experiences and the narrative he wove here was so well done! I am a HUGE fan of the “cube set,” ever since I saw Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The way it comes apart to become parts of the scenery is so creative and cool! I hadn’t thought about the fact that when they leave “the home” and go to the hospital the furniture becomes REAL – oh my gosh, that’s genius! Okay, new favorite aspect of the play production! XD Honestly, the “Pettiness of Misogyny” is hilarious, but March of the Falsettos is much more coy and thought-provoking. I love how the concept of the Falsetto was applied to both; that’s so brilliant and I’m glad you explained it that way, here! Oohhh, I will have to look up that soundtrack! I’m so glad that there’s such a fandom posting art from this show to keep analyzing! Thank you for this first comment! I promise to not take too crazy long to get to the other parts!

romaniablack

Oh my gosh…I am sorry it’s taken me almost a month to get back to these! Thank you for being patient with me! It’s great to hear all of this information, particularly about Jewish stereotypes, since I’m not familiar with those tropes. Thanks for that breakdown! I really like that note about how Mendel is the one to finally acknowledge Trina in the play through song! Granted, yes, he’s not a great psychiatrist, hahaha!! I definitely got that vibe that he passed his STD’s onto Trina, which is really sad for her – I felt for her throughout this play! And for Trina to look away as the two of them get more “intimate” in their song; Feel. For. Her. Love your discussions of all the songs – Marvin was DEFINITELY showing how he wanted to be the “top” and exude masculine gender expectations onto the relationship with Whizzer. I did end up really enjoying Whizzer’s connection with Jason in this play! And yeah, Jason is one of the most functional in the room, which is wild, considering he’s supposed to be 10. I do feel bad for Jason as well, as he’s caught in the midst of this muddled family dynamic. THOSE original lyrics! Oh my! *blushes* Honestly, YES, more interactions between Trina and Whizzer would have been amazing – as I was really curious about how their dynamic would be portrayed in this play. I definitely agree with your points on Marvin being gay, but wanting a “traditional” family dynamic. He does indeed “want it all!” XD I also feel Trina’s fear that Mendel would turn up like Marvin; her songs in this play were so relatable and made me sympathize with her character so much. That’s a cool catch about the bracelet, though! I love the overall theme with “March of the Falsettos” in how these men can’t grow up - with the exception of Jason; great catch! And the chess game and its symbolism was so well done, too! Great breakdown of these! Whizzer’s songs were also my favorite besides Trina’s - it was so good to get into the “lovers’ heads” in these! And YES, Larry from Boys in the Band – he definitely was “type cast” from the descriptions of the characters, but I agree on the differences between them! “Marvin Hits Trina” – Oof. Great commentary on this song and then the one after it! It’s really sad to me that Jason is connecting the concept of love to something “bad.” And I appreciate that Act I ends with Marvin realizing, “Oh….my bad” hahaha, before Act II! This was such a great comment and breakdown of this play – could not have said it better myself!

romaniablack

And now to read and reply to this comment a month later - apologies for being so late! I was about to go to NYC to watch a few Broadway shows, so I felt I’d be even more in the mood to read after the fact, and here we are! 😀 But I did mean to get to it sooner! The bookending and callbacks in this play are done really well, agreed. There’s a really good video by Lindsey Ellis on “Rent” and the Aids Crisis – if you haven’t watched it, it’s on YouTube and I highly recommend it! One thing I appreciate about Marvin in Act II is that he does start to take responsibility and become a better person - is the tragedy that it happens almost “too late” arguably? Well. I guess that’s for us to determine, eh? And yes, I did notice him pushing for Cordelia as the caterer – it just was kind of obvious, so I didn’t feel the need to elaborate on it. 🙂 Yes, I did catch that Jason was worried he’d be made fun of because his family have queer people within it and friends with them. Again, I really love Whizzer and Jason’s relationship and friendship! The second act really highlights and expands on it greatly. And oh yes, I was really enjoying Cordelia and Charlotte’s reaction to Whizzer showing up! Yeah, Marvin is whipped for Whizzer and it’s very apparent in this second act. Mendel really goes through it in Act 2, but I agree, I really enjoy Cordelia and Charlotte’s relationship getting highlighted in this play. They are a delight and much needed to help add some levels amongst the cast. I hadn’t actually noticed their names not said in the songs, so thank you for pointing that out! I really wish that had been included in that! A very good point to make in all of this! I like that description between Whizzer and Marvin on the racquetball court! Definitely highlighting their characters symbolically at this point in the play. And YES, Marvin is maturing emotionally! Say whaaaat?! 😀 Although, I will say, that it’s somewhat short lived when it comes to Jason and their self-centered attitudes around his Bar Mitzvah. I agree; we see these two (Marvin and Whizzer) actively trying to be better people, but this play is determined to have its tragedy! It would have been great to just have the ending here – “That’s all folks!” But nope. Aids don’t work that way. Again, that Lindsey Ellis video - it’s GREAT in talking about the Aids Crisis alongside the Broadway scene. That contrast of “I want it all” to “All I want is you” is so damn good. Whizzer deserves all the love by the end of this play, seriously! And to see him try and work through the vulnerability he’s having to showcase – UGH. MY HEART. I completely agree, too - Marvin in Act 1 would NOT be the caretaker he is in this act - the GROWTH. And yes, queer solidarity – we love to see it! I definitely thought once Whizzer had his diagnosis that yep, Marvin has it too. The problem is – does Trina as well? Did Marvin and Whizzer have it while Marvin was still active around Trina? I hope not, but the dread is there. That “You Gotta Die Sometime” song is so heartbreaking! All the men growing up, but at what cost? Marvin’s growth and change is really what made me come around to him in this second act. And ugh, the fact that Whizzer last heard “father” from Jason? My heart indeed. The love between Whizzer and Marvin at the end of this was gut-wrenching – and the way that they reused the “friend” term but we all know the context and depth it has now? Ridiculous. That parallel with fortissimo at the beginning and end of Act 2? Genius. Brilliance. Heartbreaking. And ahhhhhh not that about the White King chess piece! NOOOOO STOP – that just completely makes me so insane. Wow. What a way to end it! Seriously, I walked into this play not expecting it to completely shake me head to toe, but you were definitely on point recommending this - I became obsessed with it! Seriously, a fantastic commission I deeply enjoyed! Thank you so much for the commission and the comments breaking all of this down! I appreciate all the effort that went into it so others can read it too!