Critical Review at Hennepin Arts

  “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” a review on Girl From the North Country  Girl from the North Country opened in Minneapolis amidst the fresh loss from the Minnesota Twins. The October air and freshly crushed spirits would set the scene for the night. The show played for a packed house but lacked the firepower to carry itself past its home of Minnesota. The jukebox musical centers around Duluth, MN amid the Great Depression. Stories interweave through the guest house of Nick Laine, who is struggling to maintain a living with his two children and wife, who is battling early-onset dementia. Conor McPherson's musical uses the discography of Bob Dylan, born in Duluth himself. The Irish playwright saw his show take root in a run in London at the Old Vic then West End. After a series of shutdowns and other productions, the show finally got its tour three years after its opening on Broadway. Given the musical's setting, it's only fitting that the show launched in Minneapolis. The c...

  Girl From The North Country : A Compelling Play, But A Dull Musical The phrase “musical legend” doesn’t begin to cover Bob Dylan. Over the course of a seven decade career, the singer has achieved recognition in a myriad of forms, including ten Grammys, 145 million albums sold, and a Pulitzer Prize. But a recent first for him is the translation of his work to a musical, realized in the recent Broadway show Girl From The North Country. Using exclusively songs from Dylan’s discography, the play tells the story of Nick, Elizabeth, Marianne, and Gene, a working-class Midwestern family who struggles to make ends meet during the Great Depression, with some great successes and as many questionable decisions.  Unlike other adapted artists like Abba or Frankie Valli, Dylan’s oeuvre is sad, reflective, and folksy, which doesn’t translate well to the high energy, attention-grabbing medium of a musical. The vast majority of the numbers (my count was 16 of 22) are slow and pensive, a fea...

  Jed Stahlback Girl From The North Country Girl From the North Country: The Times They Have A-Changed Having grown up in Minnesota my entire life, and spent every summer in Duluth, Girl From the North Country’s setting was familiar but with otherworldly elements. The show is a step back in time, it’s simple yet complex, comforting yet disturbing, and nostalgic but so relevant. However, elements of it could be improved. Conor McPherson’s musical is set in Duluth, Minnesota during the Great Depression. Most of the story takes place in a guest house occupied by a multitude of people whom the difficulties of the depression have hit. The central plot line follows the Laine family who run the struggling guest house filled with friends and others who are struggling with issues of their own such as mental illness, financial problems, grief, and other troubles. Dylan’s music throughout the show is utilized to make the musical feel more like a play with musical interludes, rather than a ...

  Amélie Tonoyan Girl from the North Country From Dylan to Drama: Girl from the North Country Seated in the elegant Orpheum Theatre on October 10th, I was captivated by the narrative of Girl from the North Country , which seemed perfectly complemented by its Minnesota setting. It was a delightful discovery, albeit belated, as I had regrettably not been familiar with this musical before.The music (all by Bob Dylan) in this performance exists independently of the plot, in a manner reminiscent of "Mamma Mia," while the story (by Conor McPherson) takes place during the Great Depression. In order to guarantee his daughter's future, Nick Lane, a man who is about to lose his home, resorts to renting out rooms and arranging her marriage. I had a rush of exhilaration as the music started to permeate the room. Elegant instrumentation expertly brought Bob Dylan's moving songs and lyrics to life. I was enthralled by the captivating charm with which the onstage pit orchestra and...

  Girl From the North Country - Madie Barnes When watching a show for the first time, many things can make it great. From believable performances, cast chemistry, stellar singing, and of course a good plot. I was excited to see the tour of Girl From the North Country's first-ever performance which was on October 10, 2023, at the Orpheum in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and even more excited when my very own governor made an appearance to introduce the show. I expected the show to have most of the attributes of a good show, but unfortunately, when I saw Girl from the North Country, the show fell short of almost all of these things. One very important part of a show of course is its plot, however it’s hard to judge a show's plot when there doesn’t seem to be a clear one. This is unfortunate for the actors because they had no control over the chaos that the author of the show, Conor McPherson, chose to write. From the unnecessary characters, such as all of the businessmen and Elias Burk...

  GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY- Don't Think Twice, It's Not Alright by HUXLEY WESTEMEIER There are certain shows that just don't make sense. I'm not talking about the set design, the music, or even the cast. In the newly launched Broadway tour Girl From the North Country , all of those things are fine. Not stellar, and there are definitely major technical issues, but the overall live performance is acceptable and I don't feel the need to go in depth about the design elements. They're fine. Where the show falls apart is the basic concept. Blending popular Bob Dylan songs with a highly dramatized play that attempts to shoehorn in as much saturated commentary about racism, abuse, and mental health in the mid twentieth century as possible just didn’t work for me. Especially when the stellar music is only used as a disjointed and often shortened interlude between scenes and the dramaturgical choices, including the Minnesotan accents which are nearly impossible to comp...

  Gabby Haake Girl From The North Country  Minnesotan Magic in a Musical Name something more Minnesotan than a musical set in Duluth, packed with Minnesota-specific humor, featuring music by none other than the Bob Dylan. That’s right, you can’t! Set during the Great Depression, Conor McPherson’s Girl From The North Country contains all of these elements, while following different families’ stories and exhibiting themes of intense conflict, and intense love. While watching Girl From The North Country, which I recommend you do, you’re guaranteed to have a laugh. The musical’s humor mostly consists of sarcasm/stating the obvious, which Jennifer Blood delivers hilariously. In addition, you’ll hear several relatable Minnesota remarks, for example, mention of our infamous 7 month long Winter. Be aware that this musical also contains plenty of explicit language, though usually used to contribute to humor, or firm moments.  A strong question I had while watching (specific...