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Dismemberment, disfigurement, hot toxic love between a blind, promiscuous librarian and a big green freak - in case you haven’t heard, The Toxic Avenger Musical has all of that and then some.

While it’s a relatively new story to many, the production is based on the 1984 cult classic horror/comedy, The Toxic Avenger. Conceived by the wonderfully warped mind of underground super producer and Troma founder Lloyd Kaufman (famous for timeless schlock like Surf Nazis Must Die, Rabid Grannies, Poultrygeist and The Class of Nuke ’Em High and responsible for the careers of Matt Stone & Trey Parker, Kevin Costner, Samuel L. Jackson and Madonna!), the dearly beloved B-movie tells the story of how a pencil-necked fitness club janitor becomes New Jersey’s first (and only) super hero (hint: he’s bullied, chased into an oil drum of toxic waste and seeks revenge on all wrongdoers).

The movie developed into one of the most ridiculous franchises out there, spawning three sequels and a short-lived but very cool Saturday morning cartoon (The Toxic Crusaders), endless tributes and even the handle for an electro-house producer.

Last year, The Toxic Avenger was adapted as an Off-Broadway production by playwright Joe DiPietro, who Kaufman entrusted with his baby (Lloyd has admitted its been a success because of his lack of involvement). Along with talented songwriter David Bryan, DiPietro somehow did the impossible: he made a notorious, low-budget flick known for its outlandish scenes of sex and masturbation, brutal violence, sadistic humour and blatant political incorrectness almost family friendly. Almost.

It couldn’t have been easy to clean up a Troma production for mass consumption (which with the heavy ad campaign in Toronto, is obviously the goal), but DiPietro and Bryan have managed to pull it off without sacrificing the spirit of the film. Kaufman’s twisted sense of humour and over-the-top gags (i.e. flying body parts) are still very much alive, but taken down a few notches to a middle ground that should satisfy both the Troma faithful and newcomers.

The story takes place in the (somewhat fictional) radioactive wasteland of New Jersey, where the air is so heavily polluted, it forces the immediate mantra of “Who Will Save New Jersey?” Not long after, we meet our hero, Melvin Ferd III (Evan Alexander Smith), your stereotypical nerd looking to clean up his hometown of Tromaville with help from the standoffish girl of his dreams, Sarah (Brittany Gray), the local blind librarian. But he runs into a snag when the crooked Mayor (Louise Pitre) learns he’s trying to expose her lucrative toxic waste storage business.

The Mayor hires a pair of goons (Jamie McKnight and Daren A. Herbert) to dispose of Melvin, who they dump into a canister of toxic waste, thus transforming him into the titular hero. While to some it might be a bummer to become a hideous monster, Melvin makes the most of being Toxie, by seeking revenge on the goons, earning the love of Sarah and having the muscle and confidence to take down the Mayor and solve Tromaville’s pollution problem.

I suppose die-hards could argue The Toxic Avenger Musical removed some key elements of the films. Gone is the extreme vulgarity of scenes like the infamous hit and run game, and a lot of the original plot devices, like Toxie’s trusty mop and pink tutu. That said, the musical’s anti-pollution message is abundantly clear and serves more purpose than that of the original, which was heavily overshadowed by the signature Troma-tic absurdity. It also helps that there’s a reliable stream of jokes that raise awareness by poking fun of our own city’s problems (the Don River, Vermont as our dumping ground).

As for the music, well, how can you go wrong with songs like “Everybody Dies,” “Thank God She’s Blind” and “Evil Is Hot”? But it really comes down to the cast more than anything. Smith and Gray shine in their lead roles, but the show stealers are really Pitre, a Broadway vet with golden lungs who multitasks as the Mayor, Toxie’s mom and a good-humoured nun (at one point she gives up the façade to much hilarity) and Herbert, the “black dude,” whose gusto is unmatched.

Much like the Evil Dead The Musical, The Toxic Avenger Musical never loses sight of the original source material, presenting a campier twist on a cult classic and giving us some memorable songs to go home with. To paraphrase Britney Spears, intoxicate yourself with this poisonous paradise.

The Toxic Avenger Musical is now playing at the Music Hall, 147 Danforth Avenue, Toronto. For more information visit ToxicAvengerToronto.com.

- Cam Lindsay

Tags: Lloyd Kaufman, The Toxic Avenger, The Toxic Avenger Musical, Toxie

Posted on Friday, November 27th, 2009 at 12:59 pm by Cam and is filed under Blog, Just For Fun.

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