Thrill Me was an intriguing prospect for a musical, detailing the life of Leopold and Loeb, a couple of rich-kids in the 1920’s who had committed the most notorious crime of the 20th Century. There have been many interpretations of the case on film but here, Stephen Dolginoff opens a musical two-hander with Nathan Leopold explaining his motives to a parole board.I had several problems with this show and I shall endeavour to explain. Firstly the music, whilst being accomplished if not in the least bit memorable, at no point attempted to reference the period. Secondly, the subject matter is overbearingly distasteful. Essentially this is a musical that attempts to put understanding behind a woefully bleak crime, with two teenagers killing a 14 year old for kicks. I could understand a play attempting to examine their motives but somehow the handling didn’t suit the subject matter.
In terms of Offie nominations, it has achieved five including Best Actor for both Jye Frasca and George McGuire who play the pair of killers.
Personally I was intrigued by the voice-over recordings of the parole board, credited as Patricia Quinn, Lady Stephens, Les Dennis and Lee Mead. I have a feeling favours were being pulled in from somewhere but what a strange mix of performers?! What a fascinating play a dramatization - fictional or otherwise - of that recording session would make!
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