Pay the Piper, it's only $20.

The Piper was my third show of the day on Friday, starting at 9pm at the Theater at St Clement's. Good lord. That's a lot of shows. As you walk in you're treated to live Irish folk music from the onstage band before the show starts - this being NYMF that means, of course, the curtain speech, which sadly delayed Nancy Anderson bouncing onstage with a "Let's have a tune to get this tale started, huh?" Though the show is being marketed as the pied piper meets Jack the Ripper in 19th Century Boston, it's not nearly as dark as that, and is more about the art of storytelling, in song, in person and in lies.

Ostensibly centering on Jordan, owner of a boarding house that caters to those outcast by other parts of society, and her lame daughter Wilder, the Piper begins with the arrival of a mysterious stranger - one Mr. Grimm, collecting stories for a book on folklore. Though he starts off as belligerent, he eventually warms to the pair. Meanwhile, a mysterious strangler is picking off whores one by one, cleansing (as the priest says) the streets of Boston. The story and characters play second fiddle, however, to Marcus Hummon's lively score. The music is sometimes so entrancing that you forget to pay attention and lose track of the story, which is what I'll blame for my confusion as to the resolution of the story at the end. If anyone wishes to comment and set me straight on the events, I'd very much appreciate it...

Christiane Noll is a powerhouse as central figure Jordan, with a gorgeous clear voice and personality to spare. I still think Jillian Louis (about whom I raved in my very first entry) would make a cracking Judy Garland, but at that she's a little miscast as the 13-year-old cripple. My friend turned to me at intermission and said "Why isn't Celia Keenan-Bolger in this show?" I cringed a little, so he corrected "Why isn't Jenni Barber in this show?" And I have to agree. Nancy Anderson's Ma Kelly is magnetic and Debra Walton and Darin de Paul make an engaging odd couple, all surrounded by an energetic and strong ensemble.

The Piper is a show that really rises and falls on its music, and for that reason it's mostly a success. Though the plot is muddled, it's carried by the Celtic tunes and the good old Irish spirit of the characters. Don't try to understand. Just sit back and listen.