Fun Home

Just in time for Philly Pride, the Tony award winning musical "Fun Home" set up shop at Forrest Theatre last week to tell the story of acclaimed graphic novelist Alison Bechdel's relationship with her closeted father and its effect on her coming out process. Jumping between memories of her plucky childhood and her awkward college years, the show depicts Bechdel mining her experiences to write the graphic novel that the show is based on.

It is a relatively straight forward show that walks us through how we grow over the years into our sexuality, with the twist of examining Bechdel's closeted behavior that led to his suicide just as she was coming out to her family. It can be a painful process, as we see the contrasted benefits of accepting yourself and the dangers of neglecting to do so.

For all of the joy of songs like "Changing My Major to Joan," there is a darkness lurking in Bechdel's home as a result of her father's growing unhappiness. This takes the shape of his obsession with the presentation of their house, flirtations with young men, and quarrels with Bechdel's mother. Still, while this negative behavior permeates the show, it is Bechdel's relationship with herself that is strongest in the narrative.

One of its great triumphs is in its deft use of the multi-generational Bechdel showing the different stages of coming out and how we feel towards homosexuality as we grow older. Young Alison simply exhibits certain interests; college-aged Alison is overwhelmed and overexcited to be discovering that she isn't alone in those interests; and present-day Alison is comfortable in her skin and look back on these stages with interest and sometimes embarrassment.

It has the effect of accurately showing how the comfort with which many gay adults live while still encapsulating the wonder of discovering one's sexuality. The depiction of this journey to self-love is an important one to the LGBT+ community and it was a welcome inclusion.

However, by the play's end I was surprised at just how little it touched me. I didn't walk away with anything to think on or characters that stuck with me. Even the music felt simply great to tell the story within the show but I didn't have the urge to go listen to the soundtrack the way that so many musicals leave me with. Instead "Fun Home" seems content to just tell us the story of Alison Bechdel and leave it at that.

Which leaves me to say that I enjoyed the show and the stellar touring production, but wouldn't recommend it to anyone who hasn't been clamoring to see it since its Broadway run. It is a succinct, charming musical and shouldn't leave anyone disappointed, but with so much brilliant theatre in Philadelphia, "Fun Home" falls just short of making a lasting impression.

"Fun Home" runs through June 18 at the Forrest Theatre, 1114 Walnut Street in Philadelphia. For tickets or information, call 800-447-7400 or visit http://www.forrest-theatre.com.