Landing back in Toronto after being absent for what seemed like forever, it was clear that Evil Dead the Musical had lost none of its appeal with the fans. A packed and raucous crowd at the Randolph Theatre fully embraced the return, dressing as characters from the show and, for those sitting in the now infamous splatter zone, eagerly awaiting the onslaught of blood that was to spray their way. Needless to say, they weren’t disappointed.
The story follows two couples and an annoying sister who head to a cabin in the woods for a getaway of drinking and sex. However, everything goes wrong fast, thanks to the discovery and subsequent reading from a book of evil, bringing out demonic possession, decapitated limbs, death, and loads of blood. It’s definitely not your everyday holiday, but for this crowd, it’s exactly what they came to see.
Clocking in at two hours, with a short intermission, the first half of the show is more backstory and humor than anything, introducing the audience to all the characters while, at the same time, giving them a chance to shine (highlighted by the wonderfully romantic romp “What the F**k was That?”) lyrically, belting out some hilarious tunes and injecting a ton of dark and sassy humor as well. The second half is where everything is ramped up a notch, with the singing/dance numbers longer and more complex, the overall tempo increased, and yes, much more blood.
Hats off to the cast, who take this material, which is familiar to most and brand new to others, and make it their own. Aaron Robinson plays Ash, an everyday Joe worker turned demon slayer, leading the troupe with great timing and excellent presence. However, this is truly an ensemble piece, as the whole cast has important parts to play.
Aimée Tremblay Woodman (Sheryl), Kendra Brophy (Linda), Jean Blandon (Scott), Duncan Lang (Jake), and Charlie Clements (Ed) all have moments to shine. But Pascale Behrman, who plays both Shelly and Annie, adds a consistent spark and energy to the mix.
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The brave souls sitting in the first handful of rows, known as the Splatter Zone, were rewarded with the blood they knew was coming in the second act, spraying from both built-in blood fountains on the stage and the actors themselves. Adding to that fun was you never really know who will get hit with the most blood, and some of the carnage people wore with pride after the show was proof of that. Everyone was into it, fans and cast alike, and added that extra bit of craziness to a show that was already pushing things as far as they could.
The Evil Dead movies have spawned a rabid cult following, but amazingly, this musical has as well. From its tiny beginnings in Toronto in 2003, it has now played worldwide in places such as Korea, Spain, Las Vegas, and New York. The franchise has many loyal fans, and they showed it by fully embracing Evil Dead the Musical and helping make it the international hit it is now. Toronto welcomed it back into its bloody arms like a child home from vacation, with the intimate setting of Randolph Theatre helping to ramp up the energy to what must endlessly delight those on stage.
The beautiful thing about something like Evil Dead the Musical is you don’t need to read between the lines to figure out what you are getting yourself into. Everyone knows what the show is about, and even if they don’t know the whole story, it’s laid out simply enough that you needn’t worry about anything except being entertained. High energy, hilarious, dark, and bloody, this is two hours of fun that should simply not be missed.
