'No Singing in the Navy' Off-Broadway review — when the captain's away, the sailors will play
Read our review of No Singing in the Navy off Broadway, a new musical written by Milo Cramer and directed by Aysan Celik at Playwrights Horizons through April 19.
Summary
- No Singing in the Navy is a Golden Age musical spoof about the 24-hour adventure of three sailors on leave before going to war
Three sailors, 24 hours, one... bucket of talking crabs? That sums up most of the proceedings of No Singing in the Navy, a new musical by Milo Cramer that, spoiler alert, contains plenty of singing in the navy. Or at least, on the unspecified shores where a trio of mariners get to spend 24 hours of freedom before being shipped off to war and certain death.
On paper, Navy is a Golden Age musical spoof, and there are a few moments where that rings clear: the opening patter song that echoes The Music Man's "Rock Island," the sailors-on-leave plot line from On the Town, numerous broadly applicable storytelling tropes including "main character has a deep dark secret," "quirky side character helps main characters' journeys," and "small-town girl seeks big adventures." (Here, that girl is a crab, for whom the sea spells freedom and the bucket, death.)
The three actors — Bailey Lee, Ellen Nikbakht, and Elliot Sagay — all play multiple roles besides the sailors, with their bits of visual and physical comedy making for some of the show's strongest moments. Nikbakht gets the most scene-stealing characters: a cheerful box office gatekeeper, the lovelorn naval captain who repeatedly breaks his own "no singing" rule, and Sailor 3 himself, who haplessly attempts to kiss "one hundred women" in a hilarious montage.
But the cast's waves of energy aren't enough to make Navy land. Cramer is a decidedly simple composer whose songs sound like the kind little kids make up to perform for their parents in the living room — and this is not, objectively, a dig. No Singing in the Navy is a gleefully scrappy affair — Krit Robinson's set consists only of silver streamers and an onstage clothing rack — in which silly little ditties should feel right at home. And Cramer terrifically deployed this same songwriting style as the writer and sole performer of their last Playwrights Horizons production, School Pictures, about their experiences as an elementary- and middle-school tutor. There, the kiddie tunes gave authentic voice to the kids they sang about and cleverly belied an incisive critique of the NYC school system.
That smartness and conviction are missing from No Singing in the Navy. The disparate scenes, themes, and sounds of Cramer and director Aysan Celik's production never quite cohere into a strong narrative, and without a clear sense of exactly what the show wants to spoof, or celebrate, or both, the proceedings land as aimless as the sailors themselves, dissolving from the memory like sea foam.
No Singing in the Navy summary
Twenty-four hours before being sent to a deadly war, three sailors are given a day's leave on shore with only one rule: no singing. After almost immediately learning how to sing from a free-spirited talking crab on an adventure of her own, the sailors try to make the most of life before their time is up by sightseeing, chasing romance, and, of course, attending the "thee-ay-ter."
The show spoofs the musicals of Broadway's Golden Age, a period that lasted approximately from the mid-1930s to mid-1960s and saw the debuts of numerous musicals now regarded as classics.
What to expect at No Singing in the Navy
No Singing in the Navy runs 80 minutes on Playwrights Horizons's smaller stage, a no-frills venue that fits the minimal aesthetic of the show. The one humorous exception to that aesthetic is Kyle Adam Blair, the onstage pianist dressed in a full tuxedo like he's playing Carnegie Hall. His presence is the one visual nod to the opulence associated with Broadway's Golden Age, and the piano also becomes a prop in a few physical comedy bits.
What audiences are saying about No Singing in the Navy
Audiences have shared polarized responses to No Singing in the Navy on online forums like Reddit.
- "If you've taken at least a few knocks in adulthood, but haven't yet fully come to peace with it all -- this is for you. [...] the best way I've been able to explain it to friends is this -- Bo Burnham crossed with Sesame Street for adults." - Reddit user u/sayhar
- "I felt it was cute, but it felt much longer than the 80 minutes or so that it actually was." - Reddit user u/rlevavy
- "I think in order to on this thing’s wavelength you need to be familiar with movie musicals like Anchors Aweigh or On The Town, which No Singing in the Navy is directly cribbing from and deconstructing. I grew up with these, so I really enjoyed it, but it certainly isn’t for everyone." - Reddit user u/Takethemuffin
- "I'm not surprised by the strong feelings on both sides -- it's completely bizarre and silly, but takes itself very seriously (compliment!) as well as its themes. I can see how you'd walk out baffled -- personally I was crying with laughter and still really moved." - Reddit user u/AlisonAbridged
Who should see No Singing in the Navy
- Fans of the TV show Schmigadoon! — whose Broadway musical adaptation overlaps with Navy's run for a few weeks — may enjoy a fellow show that spoofs Golden Age musicals.
- Navy gives the classic-musical genre — often associated with big, spectacular production value — a more indie-theatre feel, so it has the potential to appeal to people whose tastes lie on either side of that spectrum.
- Sketch comedy and Saturday Night Live fans may appreciate the utterly zany character work, particularly from Nikbakht.
- There's no adult material in the show, so kids may enjoy the silliness of the musical if you're looking for a family-friendly option beyond Broadway.
Learn more about No Singing in the Navy off Broadway
Game performances aren't enough to buoy No Singing in the Navy, assembled from the flotsam and jetsam of classic musicals but not yet a shipshape show of its own.
Photo credit: No Singing in the Navy off Broadway. (Photos by Valerie Terranova)
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