Related Articles: Theater, All

Review: Sixties Sizzle

The Retro Dome salutes the women of a swinging decade in 'Shout! The Mod Musical'

THE NEW show Shout! The Mod Musical at the Retro Dome chronicles five London gals as they flip through the swingin’ ’60s as if it were the current issue of Cosmo. Who knew that the problems of love, the pill and relationships plagued the female psyche as much back then as they do today? I gave my ticket to the usher, found my seat amid a circle of women and took a ride back in time to a place filled with brightly colored polyester dresses and big hair. The show maintains a satirical consistency throughout with the help of magazinelike ads for asbestos-lined anti-aging cream and weight-loss treatments supported by a caffeine and cigarette diet.

Along the course of two acts and some 20 songs, each character mulled over a series of issues in the passing years, from finding the right guy and handling a break-up to contraception and marriage—all in ways specific to each of the characters’ personalities: quirky, maternal, conceited, emotional and overly affectionate (or “slutty” to use the adjective verbatim). Caught somewhere between the cynical advice of a columnist, who suggests coming to terms with the fact that a woman will never orgasm, and relying on female intuition, the women learn that cultivating answers to their problems isn’t the easiest thing to accomplish. So naturally, they sing about them. From complete renditions of familiar classics such as “These Boots Are Made for Walking” to a witty take on a tune heard in the James Bond movie Goldfinger, titled “Coldfinger,” the cast displayed considerable vocal talent with beautiful falsettos and rich tones from beginning to end.

The harmonies never faltered, and though one cast member was forced to power through a solo when her microphone lost its audio connection, the applause reverberated continuously throughout the show. The musical should be good for a couple on a date, but is all the more appropriate for a girl’s night out.

SHOUT! THE MOD MUSICAL plays Friday–Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm through April 11 at the Retro Dome, 1694 Saratoga Ave., San Jose. Tickets are $24–$36. (408.404.7711)