Messy, silly and preachy, ‘Head Over Heels’ still finds laughs

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised someone married the music of the Go-Go’s with an epic 16th-century poem. I mean, someone decided to mix the hits of Abba with a who’s-the-daddy Jerry Springer storyline — and that worked out just fine for all concerned.

Ah, but times were simpler when “Mamma Mia!” took Broadway by storm 20 years ago. By the time “Head Over Heels” arrived in New York, in 2018, even a silly jukebox musical had to be about something — so bring on sexuality and gender issues.

Encore Performing Arts has found quite a lot of fun in “Head Over Heels,” in no small part thanks to Adonus Mabry’s choreography, which offers surprises and beauty in its mix of styles. (Not to mention snakes and statues and sheep, oh my.) The Shakespearean-camp costumes, designed by the late AJ Garcia and Ashley Kitzman-Ortiz, help too.

And in this woman-centric show, powerful performances from Laurel Hatfield, Marissa Volpe and Lillie Eliza Thomas provide comic heft.

Thank goodness director Michael Rodgers keeps the silliness sailing along because writer James Magruder has a penchant for interrupting the fun with Gender 101. I guess in 2018, a gender-nonconforming person’s use of they/them pronouns needed an explanation — but did it have to hit the audience over the head?

The story, loosely based on Philip Sidney’s “Arcadia,” follows a royal family that receives four dire predictions from an oracle. If the predictions come true, the kingdom will fall — and lose touch with its mystical “beat” (as in “We Got

The…”). Secrets, mistaken identities and gender-bending lead to high jinks.

Unfortunately, on opening night, the predictions were among the lines given so quickly and muddied that they didn’t fully register. Of course, among all the nonsense, perhaps it doesn’t matter — even writer Magruder seems to forget about a plot until deep into the first act. And then he tries to make up for it with an awkward turn to the serious late in the second act.

Better to focus on the froth — and the fine way Volpe delivers a clueless put-down as a self-absorbed princess, or how Hatfield beams with innocence as a “good girl.” Meanwhile, Thomas comically goes from honey to vinegar on a dime — while providing a tonsorial fashion parade, thanks to Justin Lore’s towering wigs.

Angelini finds something fresh in cross-dressing humor, and Kevin Meza gives the nonbinary oracle the requisite sass.

The musical numbers rock, with Michie Aranguren and Michael Angelini Jr. contributing to powerful harmonies on hits such as “Our Lips Are Sealed” and “Automatic Rainy Day,” though sound levels were troubling opening night. The band sounds great but competes with the singers.

So a mixed bag — but with better comic payoff than this messy musical deserves.

‘Head Over Heels’

„ ■ Length: 2:20, including intermission

„ ■ Where: Lowndes Shakespeare Center, 811 E. Rollins St. in Orlando

„ ■ When: Through June 13 „

■ Tickets: $35-$39

„ ■Info: bit.ly/HeadOverHeelsTickets

Find me on Twitter @matt_on_arts or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel. com. Want more theater and arts news and reviews? Go to orlandosentinel.com/ arts. For more fun things, follow @fun. things.orlando on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.