Round and round and round, a review of Ride the Cyclone

It’s not a game; it’s a ride. Troy’s Theatre and Dance department showcased four performances of “Ride the Cyclone” last weekend, and I was fortunate enough to be able to get tickets to the sold-out show. 

I knew about “Cyclone” long before the showing this past weekend. My freshman year roommate introduced me to the cast recording from the official production. We saw it together on Sunday. Talk about a full circle moment, huh? 

For those who don’t know, “Ride the Cyclone” is a dark comedy musical about six choir students from Uranium, Saskatchewan, who die in a roller coaster accident. They are forced to evaluate their lives and decide which one of them will be brought back to life at the hands of a mechanical fortune teller named Karnak.  

Each character has their own story to tell as they compete to return to life. Ocean is the perfectionist model student with a huge ego; her best friend, Constance, is a pushover who lets Ocean walk all over her. However, Constance has a secret, cynical outlook on life, which she only overcomes in death.  

Noel is the only gay boy who secretly dreams of being a prostitute in early 20th-century France. Misha is a Ukrainian adoptee who has a drinking problem, and he is in a long-distance engagement with Talia, a girl from his home country. Ricky is a socially awkward boy who was mute in life and only reveals his wild fantasies and imagination in death. 

The final character has no story. This is because she is a Jane Doe, who was decapitated in the Cyclone accident. None of the choir students know her, and she doesn’t remember anything about her own identity. In the afterlife, her head is replaced with that of a porcelain doll’s, whose body she carries around for the entirety of the show.

The production was phenomenal. Although it was a smaller production, the cast did an amazing job capturing and portraying the characters as three-dimensional human beings.

The comedic timing was also brilliant. I found myself laughing out loud multiple times during the show.  

The songs are also incredibly well-written and catchy. You’ll definitely have at least one song stuck in your head. My personal favorite is “Noel’s Lament,” which was made even more memorable with the visuals. 

I won’t spoil who comes to life in the end, but I will say the end is very satisfying. The remaining choir students come to terms with their death. 

I highly recommend checking out “Ride the Cyclone” online. If you didn’t see it this past weekend, I must say, you missed out on a great performance. Troy’s theatre program never fails to impress and entertain me.