Underground is a musical about the fear of being loved and the masks we wear to hide our nakedness and vulnerability. Freely based on Alexandra Devon’s theatrical adaptation of Dostoyevky’s Notes from Underground, the unforgettable central character is a strange and brilliant social outcast who asks the question: can anyone really look at themselves with total honesty? The audience becomes witness, judge and jury as he brings us back to a shameful event from his past: a chance encounter with a young prostitute named Lisa which haunts him years later. In the book, the Underground Man uses the written word to seduce and manipulate the reader. In this new incarnation he uses song, dance and theatrical tricks to win the audiences’ approval and understanding, engaging a group of singer/actors to act out his story with him. The general style, genre, and structure are in the tradition of the dramatic American musical theater. Rich in accessible, melodic lines while combined with a darker, more complex, “contemporary” aesthetic, the music brings to life this famous 19th century russian anti-hero who speaks with prophetic accuracy to our present world. Extraordinary insight into the contradictions between what we think we want and what we actually do drive this piece forward while shifting between unexpected humor and stark drama. Music, lyrics and book by Colin Pip Dixon.
Colin Pip Dixon 