The Fix

After I heard Philip Quast's performance in Les Miserables, I wanted, no, needed to hear more. I was on a Quast, er...Quest...(no, I think I was right the first time...ummm, wait, that didn't sound quite right either, but...oh sweet J-...)

So...I wandered...and wandered...through my local record shoppe...and there it was...the only copy in stock...(lucky for me, it was shortly after payday...I could afford to indulge myself this way)

So, I listened to the CD...had my player with me and wasn't driving, so I didn't even wait to get home for my Fix...

Well, I was terribly impressed, and now must continue my Quest for Quast...but I digress...

For those of you who know me from my other fandoms, you will probably find this show to be quite a departure from my usual, soppingly romantic tastes...(I don't say that in a disparaging way...I'm very proud of my soppiness...)

But...The Fix is not exactly Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, now is it?!

So, how'd you like to hear a little story, kiddies?...
Read the synopsis, then click here for some fanfiction!

The Fix is an intriguing tale of a wonderfully dysfunctional political family...The cast listed here is the one featured on the original London cast CD. The story is indeed intriguing, but if you haven't heard the music, I strongly suggest that you buy the CD!

Senator Reed Chandler (David Firth) has the presidency in sight...but dies during a pre-election tryst with his mistress.

Violet (Kathryn Evans), his widow, focuses her presidential ambitions onto her son, Cal (John Barrowman). She goes to Reed's older, and smarter brother, Grahame (Philip Quast), to enlist his help in the matter. Grahame, a stutterer and on crutches, crippled by the polio he contracted as a child, questions Cal's competency to hold elected office, as well as questioning his paternity...reminding Violet of the affair she had with Bobby "Cracker" Barrel (Bogdan Kominowski), a redneck who got the electric chair. But Violet uses Grahame's unnatural attraction to his nephew to convince him...

Cal, already quite the stoner, goes off to the army, where he meets his father (on a trip) and learns something about the perils of political landmines. When he returns, Violet and Grahame do their worst, aided by speech coach Leslie Pynchon (Carrie Ellis), and Cal is elected to the City Council.

Although married to Deborah (Gael Johnson), Cal meets a club singer, Tina (Krysten Cummings), who eventually introduces him to heroin...

Cal slips up in a speech, using a taboo profanity, but with some simple words, convinces the press that he's not a madman, but a genius.

However, there are pictures...Cal and Tina together...Grahame has the responsibility to destroy the evidence. When Grahame wants to resign from the campaign, Cal takes advantage of Grahame's feelings for him, and Grahame stays on in shame.

Grahame uses the family's contact with mob boss Anthony Gliardi (Nicholas Pound)to take care of the pictures, promising his (and Cal's) assurances that nobody would be the wiser...

Grahame tells us about his Harvard days with Reed and Violet. Violet used the Chandler brothers to achieve her political goals, dating Grahame to get her closer to Reed, whom she used to gain power...Then Grahame has his annual physical, and is confined to a wheelchair.

Cal's wife delivers a son, while Cal continues his downward spiral with Tina.

Violet and Chief of Security Peter Hale (David Bardsley) get rid of all the drugs and place Cal under house arrest. Grahame convinces Tina that Cal is straightening out and wants nothing more to do with her. Meanwhile, Cal escapes and again uses Grahame's attraction to his advantage to get his fix.

Grahame again wants to resign, but a drunken Violet laughs him off, so Grahame again reminds her of Cal's true origins.

Finally, Cal can see the madman he's become, and sobers up. He exposes his family's secrets and implicates mob boss, Anthony Gliardi. The mob sets out to return the favor, ordering Tina to lure Cal away from his family. Cal is still in love with Tina, so he goes willingly.

Cal and Tina are both gunned down.

At Cal's funeral, his three year old son, Calvin Chandler Jr. stands at his grave, and there's hope for the future...

I can just hear Violet now...

"It's mine, Grahame, it's mine! One way or another! If I can't be the mother of the president, you can bet your...Grahame?

Grahame?!

Grahame!!!

TURN THAT WHEELCHAIR AROUND THIS INSTANT, GRAHAME!!!!!"

So...that's the story...Captivating, isn't it? And the music, a definite rock and roll feel throughout, but much more interesting than pure and simple pop, it is also influenced by other styles...including gospel, country and the more traditional "showtune".

Of course, Philip Quast's performance makes the CD more than worth the money, but John Barrowman and Kathryn Evans also stand out splendidly!

Needless to say, I was inspired...perhaps the Fix appeals to some darker side of my psyche...hidden jealousies...desires...ambition...or maybe it's just the drugs...

Oh gosh...it just might be time to clean house...maybe I should just get on with it!

I've drawn some pictures based on my impressions of this fine musical...I'm sure more will follow!

Here's the very first of my Fixpix...Philip Quast as Grahame Chandler...

And so, it continued...Cal has the upper hand...

And here's a little composition inspired by a line from First Came Mercy

More To Come!

Dare to Compare Les Javerts...


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