Fly High with 42 Balloons

Jack Godfrey’s North American premiere of  42 Balloons kicked off its summer run at Chicago Shakespeare last night and it is absolutely the feel good musical of what could be a hard summer.

It’s an unlikely plot with a moving and poignant ending based on the true story of Larry Walters, who launched 16,000 feet into airspace in a Sear’s lawn chair and 42 weather balloons in 1982. 

The show is destined for Broadway with singable tunes, rip roaring choreography by Alexzandra Sarmiento, elucidating and uplifting video design by Andrzej Goulding, and a spare beautiful set that often looks like the inside of a balloon by Milla Clark. Director Ellie Coote keeps all the balls rolling, the dynamic ensemble representing a cast of thousands, and gets the balloons flying by the end of the first act.  At which point, one thinks what could be next? Larry has achieved his lifelong dream of flight in no small part due to the love and dedication and cash of his long time girlfriend Carol. It looks like a tidy happy ending of a love story.  But oh, we didn’t have cancel culture in 1982 but we had crass tv shows that gained viewership not by elevating heroes and telling literally up lifting stories: they ridiculed regular people not savvy enough to manipulate the media. And Carol borrowed all that cash and they sell their souls to pay it back.  And so the second act is the real challenge, and interestingly our lead Americans are British actors:  Charlie McCullagh plays single minded Larry who is broadsided by the sheer lack of respect and is destroyed by  how his story is convoluted into a standing joke.  Evelyn Hoskins as Carol Van Deusen survives the adventure, solid woman that she is, and eventually gets to see how truly heroic the endeavor was. There is a tragedy in this musical: we don’t always see the real story. These actors handle the difficulties with subtle delicacy. 

42 Balloons is a lesson in fortitude, and listening to that small inner voice that tells you who you are, and it’s a message of hope even in the darkest of times. And that's exactly what we need right now.  It’s a show for the whole family if you can have a serious talk about sometimes people struggle and want to un-alive themselves before your family ventures into the wild blue skies of Navy Pier. 

42 Balloons is playing Tuesdays through Sundays at the Yard Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare on Navy Pier. It is the best way I know to usher in summer that I know: see fresh live theatre in a beautiful place!  And see it before you have to pay hundreds plus flight and hotel to get a ticket in NYC. For tickets and information go to https://www.chicagoshakes.com/productions/42balloons/

For a little taste of why this is a not to be missed experience go here: https://youtu.be/FOnYp-TEVPA

For more reviews go to https://www.theatreinchicago.com