If you find yourself in Los Angeles anytime between now and April 8, have a penchant for the crass, and a date to impress or distress, go see the most recent concoction of Julien Nitzberg, For the Love of a Glove: An Unauthorized Musical Fable About the Life of Michael Jackson, As Told by His Glove.
The newly debuted musical is a witty, ridiculous retelling of Michael Jackson’s story through the eyes and energy nodules of his glove, a sentient parasitic alien who imbues his host with amazing musical talent. Nitzberg retells the life of Michael Jackson with all its gory details and rewrites it as satirical farce, all in symbiotic service to the glove, THRHIL-LHA.
Many of the bizarre stories about Jackson that dominated tabloid conversation since the 60s are given a facelift which makes all the (at best) questionable decisions Jackson made somehow more reasonable. All topics, from Bubbles the chimp to the infamous sleepovers to sleeping in an oxygen chamber to trying to purchase the ‘Elephant Man’s’ bones are covered. And amazingly, all of these subjects have a rationale behind them that is far more believable than anything Jackson’s PR team could have come up with. And that’s to say nothing of the cast, who sing, dance, act and puppeteer throughout the whole show, often simultaneously. Any more details given here wouldn’t do For The Love of a Glove justice, you’ll have to see it for yourself. And take your unsuspecting mother while you’re at it!
