“Just So” Is Just So Boring

Lena Donavan

She/Her

Staff Writer

4/30/25

Plymouth State University, in association with Cameron Mackintosh LTD, premiered its production of “Just So,” on April 11, 2025.

“Just So” is a musical by Anthony Drewe and George Stiles. Based on Rudyard Kipling’s collection of origin tales, the show transforms his wild “Just So Stories” into a creative and odd theatrical experience. Directed by Fran Page, with music direction by Harmony Markey, and produced by Matt Kizer, the PSU production featured basic songs, bold design choices, and a cast of whimsical animal characters. The cast and crew set out to celebrate and promote selfindividuality, however, it felt like every other children’s story: boring and predictable.

The main plot follows the Elephant’s Child, played by Jacob Hepburn, who sets out to learn everything about the world. Guided by the Eldest Magician (Jack Downey) and the stubborn anxious Kolokolo Bird (Joie Lynch), he sails to find answers. Hepburn and Lynch were both entertaining to watch. However, Downey’s character felt out of place most of the time, randomly disappearing and reappearing throughout the show. In their adventure, the crew meets a variety of animals like the Crocodile (Jeremy Maddocks), Kangaroo (Ryley McNeeley), and Jaguar (William Conley), all of whom are phenomenal and impressive.

The main conflict in the story is that the Elephant’s Child wants to know everything even though he can’t. This character represents childhood but I, personally, found him to be annoying– always butting into other people’s business and not understanding boundaries. The only character I did find likable was the Kolokolo Bird, who was sassy and didn’t deal with shit. The storyline was weird, jumping to many places, when adding a quick boat scene in the middle would make more sense. The stories were too complex and lengthy to be put into short scenes, adding a quick “and that’s why we are the way we are” now and then doesn’t make the storyline feel real or interesting.

This musical had very bland and basic music. I would call it an average musical theater soundtrack. The fun upbeat opening, the dynamic duo, at least one requiem style, and to tie it all together, a cheesy song highlighting the importance of friendship, or in this show, self-identity. The cast itself did a good job, there were weak vocal spots, but there always will be in live performances. Notably, Lynch had a wonderful performance and stole my attention many times while she was singing. Still, the music felt old and similar, and neither exciting to watch nor listen to.

Something that needs to be mentioned is the design elements, which helped bring the story to life. The lighting was cool, using different colors and backgrounds to match the mood or habitat of each scene. The sound was also well done, very clear, with no disturbances, and there was a nice balance between the pit and the actors on stage. The only design element that fell short was the costumes. The costumes felt boring and quickly put together, and none stood out. They didn’t feel as creative and whimsical as the other elements. The design choices, other than costumes, from the scenery to the sound, worked to make this show more entertaining and exciting.

Overall, “Just So” was a weird show. It felt like it could be better suited for a younger audience and theater department. For a college-level show, it felt childish and wasn’t all that entertaining to watch. The actors and crew did a good job with what they were given, but the actual storyline and music were just boring