I think it’s normal to contemplate the meaning of life, especially as a sophomore in college. The question of, “What am I supposed to do with the rest of my life?” constantly haunts every job application, class assignment and even take-out orders. It feels like I’m Atlas with the weight of the world on his shoulders, only it’s the fear of wasting time on mine.
I went to see “Maybe Happy Ending” a few weeks ago, a new Broadway musical about Oliver and Claire, two robots in futuristic Seoul who accidentally fall in love while on a risky trip to Jeju Island.
I know, robots falling in love. It sounds ridiculous because robots, technically, should be incapable of feeling. Even the pair agrees that a romantic connection between the two is unusual and “against the rules.”
In this tale, Oliver and Claire were built to serve humans. While they’re left to die in apartments for obsolete helper-bots, the couple grows restless and decides to take a journey to visit Oliver’s former owner, James, while forming a connection of their own.
The musical aims to answer the question, “Why love?” Not only are those the first words of the musical, but the viewer is confronted with the thought, “If we are all going to die, what’s the point in living?”
Heavy stuff. The show, however, handles the feeling of impending doom with such grace. Claire, played by Helen J. Shen, sings a song titled “The Way That It Has to Be,” in which she confides about her rapidly failing hardware to the audience. She knows the end of her life is coming, but she accepts it because “it’s the way that it has to be.”
Oliver, played by Darren Criss, struggles later in the musical after finding out James passed away, facing grief for the first time in his life. He turns to Claire, who was also heartbroken by her former owners, and they fall in love after turning to each other for comfort.
If you have to pick one Broadway show to see, pick this one. It is moving and impactful, leaving the viewer with a new appreciation for everyday life. With doses of humor and sadness throughout the two-hour musical, I left the Belasco Theatre content with what life has to offer. All of a sudden, there is no more weight on my shoulders and I look forward to living my life the way I choose to.
Without a doubt, 5/5 stars.
bkeatin1@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @Maybehappyending, Instagram
