As is What Weekly tradition, we took a camera and some dear friends to the dress rehearsal of this years Baltimore Rock Opera Society production: Grundelhammer.  This is a re-vamp of the very first production they ever put on, but it’s been shortened (the original came in at nearly 4 hours!) and streamlined to prepare for the first ever BROS tour.

We were vociferously warned we came in that some of the band was missing for dress rehearsal but we would never have noticed otherwise. Even with the spare dress rehearsal audience the show was absolutely captivating and riotously funny.  We won’t spoil the show-stealing love song except to say that the puppets were entirely unexpected but delightful.  At some points the over-the-top musical fight scenes seem overly long but this has always been part of the BROS charm: the “more is more” sensibility.  Greg Bowen as the villainous Lothario is another standout.  His high-camp performance is about an even split between David Bowie, Sid Vicious and Disney’s Captain Hook.  The sets and costuming are impressive as always, but especially so with this year’s compact and tour-ready versions.

The BROS continue to impress and we can’t wait to see what comes next year.  As the poster for the gemologist’s convention says “Rock out with your rock out.”