tick, tick…BOOM! – Soundtrack from the Netflix film (Sony Music Masterworks)
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda makes his feature directorial debut with tick, tick…BOOM!, an adaptation of the autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson, who revolutionised theatre as the creator of Rent. The film follows Jon (Academy Award nominee and Tony Award winner Andrew Garfield), a young theatre composer who’s waiting tables at a New York City diner in 1990 while writing what he hopes will be the next great American musical.
Days before he’s due to showcase his work in a make-or-break performance, Jon is feeling the pressure from everywhere: from his girlfriend Susan, who dreams of an artistic life beyond New York City; from his friend Michael, who has moved on from his dream to a life of financial security; amidst an artistic community being ravaged by the AIDS epidemic. With the clock ticking, Jon is at a crossroads and faces the question everyone must reckon with: What are we meant to do with the time we have?
I have to admit I had seen the film before the soundtrack arrived on my desk for review so I was already completely smitten by this amazing piece of theatre. Garfield gives an outstanding performance as Jonathan Larson but is supported by an absolutely amazing cast, which includes: Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesús, Joshua Henry, Mj Rodriguez, Bradley Whitford, Tariq Trotter, Judith Light and Vanessa Hudgens. PLUS some surprise voices on the ‘Sunday’ track, including Joel Grey, Bebe Neuwirth, Bernadette Peters and many, many more.
The soundtrack consists of 13 tracks from the film plus four bonus tracks by the likes of Jazmine Sullivan, Veronica Vasquez and the acclaimed folk band The Mountain Goats.
Tracks include ‘30/90’, ‘Boho Days’, ‘Green Green Dress’, ‘No More’, ‘Johnny Can’t Decide’, ‘Sunday’, ‘Play Game’, ‘Therapy’, ‘Swimming’, ‘Come to Your Senses’, ‘Real Life’ , ‘Why’ and ‘Louder Than Words’. This is one soundtrack that just has to be included in every musical theatre aficionado’s library. Outstanding!
Nick Wakeham
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