REVIEW: From Heroes to Villains and Everything In Between, Boy Falls from the Sky Soars with Relatability and Enthusiastic Charm
Boy Falls from the Sky is Jake Epstein’s deeply moving autobiographical show where the audience is given a heart-felt behind the curtain peek at the trials and tribulations of show business. The set is minimalistic, beautifully lit and gives a rare backstage glimpse of Theatre Aquarius’s enormous performance space. It is part play, part musical and undeniably relatable to anyone who’s had a dream and enthusiastically pursued it.
There are several stories and insights Epstein shares about his childhood auditioning days for shows like Oliver!, being on the beloved Canadian TV series Degrassi: The Next Generation and meeting several not-quite-famous-yet individuals during his time living in Harlem, New York. It is fascinating listening to every carefully planned piece and each segment flows smoothly, demonstrating Epstein’s keen ability for storytelling and engaging the audience. The stories never feel rushed and while the band occasionally overpowers Epstein’s vocals, the performances from everyone on stage are powerful and well-received. It was especially refreshing to see the band members become pseudo characters within Epstein’s stories, utilizing their talents beyond their instruments.
While Boy Falls from the Sky is filled with Jake Epstein’s various theatre credits, it is much more than a: “And then I was cast in….” retelling. The show soars with Jake Epstein’s delightfully trained vocal prowess, singing of songs from the various musicals he’s been in. Epstein shows great range throughout with songs like ‘Razzle-Dazzle’ (from Chicago), ‘All That’s Known’ (from Spring Awakening), ‘Up on the Roof’ (from Beautiful: The Carole King Musical in which he originated the role of King’s former husband Gerry Goffin) and of course, the show’s title song ‘Boy Falls from the Sky’ from the infamous Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark.
The true depth of this piece comes from Epstein realizing that making it on Broadway doesn’t necessarily guarantee that all your dreams automatically come true. Shaking hands with celebrities is a thrill but not when you are combating injuries, being vilified despite your creative insights and the deep sense of loneliness that impacts even the most enthusiastic performers. These realizations retain Epstein’s endless charm, his undeniable joy in performing, self-deprecating humour, impactful observations and irony (I, too, am “too tall” for musicals…and Epstein’s original song about his physicality really hit home).
Boy Falls from the Sky is a relatable and relevant show. It feels cathartic for an artist that has triumphed and faltered but never gave up. It encourages theatre enthusiasts to recognize their strengths in an often-unforgiving world of show business and that true success is found in the joy performing brings. This a true hero’s journey. Audiences will not be disappointed by the message that a boy may fall from the sky, but even wounded, will find the courage to get back up and keep fighting. The show will only soar to greater heights so don’t miss it at Theatre Aquarius, running now until November 4.
