Do you follow Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightly, or Liam Neeson? Hopefully, your answer is yes, or you will be lost in this parody. We knew several of these actors, and we were still lost. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you watch this rom-com before attending the parody. We saw this movie several decades ago but needed to watch it again to write this review. And unfortunately, now that dull-witted, crazy song is in my head, “I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes,” singing it all night.  

Love Actually is a 2003 Christmas-themed romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The majority of the cast are British actors that previously worked with Curtis in other films. We will admit that the parody did hit home with most of the scenes in the movie. Still, it seemed all over the place, with multiple references from movies that most would not understand unless they followed the actor’s other films. However, some portions of this parody were funny regardless of your understanding because the actors were funny. 

With that said, on a positive note, we did like the actors. And as the Guinness commercial would say, they were “BRILLIANT,” and they needed to be to keep people from sleeping in this production. Sorry, one person was asleep in the front row. Also, the cast cleverly added phrases from actors who may not have authorized them to use their likeness and took a few shots at others.   

It seemed like the Apollo had people there laughing way too loud at everything, which sadly made it hard sometimes to hear. To steal a line from the movie Love Actually, “To me, you are perfect;” well, this parody is not even close to perfect. Maybe they should have done a satire from the movie, Failure to Launch. 

Although “Love Actually” does have some humorous parts in the movie, it’s more of a love story, which is why this parody needed to add several other films and real-life situations where actors ask the question, Why am I in this film? The Unauthorized Musical Parody should have simplified this production; instead, they took a risk that people would connect the dots, and to us, they struck out.    

Let’s Play Somewhat Recommends this parody but only for those who thoroughly know all of the actors and have knowledge of other movies they were in and have seen the movie Love Actually. 

Apollo Theater Chicago

Love Actually? The Unauthorized Musical Parody

Book & Lyrics by: Bob & Tobly McSmith

Directed by: Tim Drucker

November 17, 2021 – January 2, 2022