'The King's Critique' Off-Broadway review — a silly royal romp

Read our review of The King's Critique off Broadway, an original musical comedy written by Eric Holmes and Nat Zegree running through December 20.

Summary

• The King's Critique is a musical comedy about two actors who team up to change a bumbling king's ban on female performers
• The show has a fun-loving spirit and talented cast, but also an overcomplicated plot and mixed bag of jokes and messages
• The show is recommended for fans of silly musicals like Shucked or Something Rotten! and medieval spoofs like A Knight's Tale or Shrek

The Renaissance Faire may have closed for the year, but a silly foray into (loosely) medieval times awaits all theatregoers who wish it at The King’s Critique off Broadway. Packed with laughs, original songs, and royal hijinks, this new musical is something like Shakespeare meets Spaceballs meets The Emperor’s New Clothes. Directed by Catie Davis, there’s always something dynamic happening on the runway-style stage where our scene is set. In this period(ish) parody, the love of theatre is king.

Creators Eric Holmes (book and lyrics) and Nat Zegree (music and lyrics) chose a premise that aligns with actual theatre history: What if women were banned from the stage? Aspiring actor Josephine (Taylor Iman Jones) hopes to change King Benjamin’s (Justin Collette) mind through the sheer power of her performance. Naturally, it doesn’t go well, or the show would be over in 20 minutes. But what happens after Josephine’s first failure is hard to rectify with what she sets out to do. Maybe it’s because there are so many plot twists that it becomes hard to actually follow the plot after a while. Maybe it’s because, unfortunately for feminism, what finally pushes Josephine to truly stand up to the king is the idea of another woman being on stage before her. The mixed messaging and an overly complicated plot stand in the way of the show's message about gender politics.

After being kicked out of her troupe for fear of the king’s wrath, headstrong Josephine is forced to team up with playboy thespian Sebastian (Sky Lakota-Lynch). He also has nothing to lose, having been kicked out of his own troupe for philandering. It’s clear these two will be a fun pair to follow from their first meeting during “I Am,” when Sebastian interrupts Josephine’s “I want” song to show off his own vocal prowess, leading to an epic diva-off. Supporting their rights and wrongs is Cora, the king’s advisor and maybe-witch, played with the perfect levels of snark and sass by Donna Lynne Champlin, a joy to watch. Fit to match any Disney villain, her flowy purple costume is the fairest of them all — except perhaps King Benjamin’s enormous purple skirt that gives French rococo-meets-duvet cover. (Emily Rebholz designed the costumes.) The fantastic juxtaposition of the ensemble's outfits, with the ragtag homemade energy of a first Ren Faire cosplay, let us know exactly how seriously we are meant to take this show.

The King’s Critique is utter, nonstop silliness, but not every joke is created equal. The best ones catch you off guard, like when “Josephine the Present” asserts herself as the daughter of “Richard the Prior,” or when her troupe moans about putting on the play “A Streetcar Named Deez Nuts.” But other jokes feel unoriginal or dated, like man-in-dress humor and a running gag about being banished to the “Middle West.” Still, it’s hard not to laugh at actors in seal costumes mimicking a tap number, or at Collette wringing each joke for every laugh it's worth.

Despite the narrow stage, The King’s Critique’s shining moments are its big ensemble numbers, which manage to feel like something out of an old movie musical like Singin’ in the Rain, Mary Poppins, or even The Pirates of Penzance. With a cast so talented, it’s hard not to get swept up in the infectious joy they're delivering on stage — never more evident than in songs like “Women” or the title track. Whatever else may be said about it, The King’s Critique is a musical that first and foremost champions a love of theatre, and that’s something to celebrate in itself.

The King’s Critique summary

In a loosely medieval kingdom, aspiring actress Josephine is preparing her magnum opus for the stage with her theatre troupe. She hopes to change King Benjamin’s ban on women in the theatre by performing for him, but things don’t quite go as planned. To achieve her dreams, Josephine is forced to team up with Sebastian, a playboy actor, and Cora, the king’s witchy advisor. Together, they infiltrate King Benjamin’s court and attempt to change the system from the inside out.

What to expect at The King’s Critique

Though the show deals with women’s exclusion from the stage, The King’s Critique doesn’t have too much to say about sexism that hasn’t already been said before. But it does have a lot to say about the current state of theatre. Josephine’s original goal is to perform for the king, but before long, she is scrambling to save the theatre itself as furniture pushes actual human actors out of the industry (long story).

Using a booming voiceover that fills in plot information during scene breaks, The King’s Critique packs in plenty of sly meta commentary about the obsession with reusing existing IP to create new theatre, the draw of celebrity casting, and the commendable integrity of audiences who come to see theatre for the love of it.

The King’s Critique runs 2 hours and 30 minutes, including an intermission.

What audiences are saying about The King’s Critique

Audiences have shared mixed reviews of The King’s Critique on online forums like Reddit. Many pointed out the sometimes juvenile humor, but others enjoyed the silliness and highlighted the talent of the cast, particularly leads Taylor Iman Jones and Sky Lakota-Lynch.

• “It’s an uneven hot mess of a show, and I had a blast.” - Reddit user u/Southernguynycii
• “I laughed so much and Taylor and Sky are melting faces off with their belts.” - Reddit user u/Blobbyblobblob33
• “sky lakota lynch as a seal thank you” - Mezzanine user Riley B

Who should see The King’s Critique

• Fans of Broadway musical comedies like Shucked or Something Rotten! will get similarly silly humor from The King’s Critique.
• Fans of Broadway stars Taylor Iman Jones (Six) or Sky Lakota-Lynch (The Outsiders) will want to see them in The King’s Critique, which allows them to showcase their vocal range and be very silly at the same time.
• Fans of parodies of medieval times, from movies like A Knight’s Tale or Shrek to the popular improv podcast Hello From the Magic Tavern, will love the fun creators Holmes and Zegree poke at both modern and old times.

Learn more about The King’s Critique off Broadway

The King’s Critique is a royal romp brimming with energetic songs and ridiculous jokes, but the mixed messaging at its core and the overcomplicated plot keeps it from reigning supreme.

Learn more and get The King's Critique tickets on New York Theatre Guide. The King's Critique is at the Pershing Square Signature Center through December 20.

Photo credit: The King's Critique off Broadway. (Photos by Russ Rowland)