Duncan Sheik didn't want to write another Spring Awakening. People expected that, though. When news broke that the guy behind the most sensitive, folk-rock angst-fest in Broadway history was tackling Bret Easton Ellis's most infamous novel, the industry collective eyebrow went way up. It’s Patrick Bateman. He kills people. He obsesses over business cards. He might be a hallucinating madman or a product of 1980s corporate vapidity. Honestly, putting that on a stage with a synth-pop score sounds like a disaster on paper.
Actually, for a lot of critics, it was.
American Psycho the musical arrived on Broadway in 2016 after a pretty successful run at London’s Almeida Theatre. It had Matt Smith—yes, Doctor Who—in London. By the time it hit the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York, Benjamin Walker took the lead. He was ripped, terrifying, and oddly charming. But the show only lasted 54 performances. If you look at the numbers, it’s a flop. If you look at the cult following, it’s a masterpiece.
The divide is basically the whole point of the show.
The Problem with Staging a Slasher
You can't just put a chainsaw on stage and hope for the best. Well, you can, but you have to decide if you’re making a horror movie or a satire. The book is notoriously gruesome. It’s a slog of consumerist brand names interrupted by nauseating violence. The movie, starring Christian Bale, leaned into the "meme-able" dark comedy.
But the musical? It went for something else entirely. It went for "Electronic Body Music."
Sheik and book writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (the guy who eventually gave us Riverdale) decided to lean into the artifice. They didn't try to make it realistic. The set was all white walls, LED lights, and sharp edges. It looked like a high-end refrigerator or a morgue.
Maybe both.
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The music is where things get weird. Instead of traditional show tunes, you get "Selling Out" and "Common Ground." These tracks are heavy on the 80s synths—think Depeche Mode or New Order. It’s cold. It’s distant. That’s why some people hated it. It’s hard to root for a protagonist who is literally singing about how much he likes his tanning bed while plotting to axe his colleague, Paul Owen.
Benjamin Walker and the "Hard Body" Aesthetic
Walker was a beast in this role. He spent half the show in his underwear. It wasn't just for eye candy; it was about the vanity of the era. The choreography by Lynne Page was twitchy and precise. It felt like a workout video from hell.
The Broadway production made a huge mistake with the marketing, though. They tried to sell it as a sexy, edgy thriller. But the show is actually a tragedy about a man who has everything and is still completely hollow. When Bateman sings "This Is Not An Exit," he's telling the audience that he's trapped in a loop of consumerism and bloodlust. It’s not "fun" in the way Mamma Mia! is fun.
It’s uncomfortable.
Why the Score Actually Works (Even If You Don't Like Synths)
Most musicals try to make you "feel" for the characters through sweeping strings or big belt notes. Sheik went the opposite way. He used 80s covers—"Everybody Wants to Rule the World," "In the Air Tonight"—and mashed them up with original compositions.
It creates a sense of deja vu.
- "Cards" is a song entirely about the font and weight of business cards. It is incredibly funny because it is so serious.
- "You Are What You Wear" is a fashion show that feels like a fever dream.
- "A Girl Before" provides the only moment of genuine emotion, sung by Jean, Bateman’s secretary.
Honestly, the contrast between Jean’s vulnerability and the "hard body" ensemble is the only reason the show doesn't collapse under its own cynicism. Helene Yorke as Evelyn was also a standout—her performance was a masterclass in being "performatively rich."
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The "Clean" Violence
If you’re expecting a Gallagher show with blood spraying the front row, you might be disappointed. The stagecraft was clever. They used red lighting and digital projections to signify the kills. It was "clean" violence, which made it feel more like a psychological breakdown than a slasher flick.
That was a polarizing choice. Some fans of the book felt it was too sanitized. Critics felt it was still too dark for the "tourist" crowd that keeps Broadway alive. If a family from Ohio is looking for a show, they aren't picking the one where a guy in a raincoat murders his friend while lecturing him about Huey Lewis and the News.
The Legacy of a "Flop"
Just because a show closes early doesn't mean it’s bad. American Psycho the musical has lived on through its cast recording. It has become a staple for theater kids who want something "edgy" for their auditions.
The London production felt grittier. Matt Smith played Bateman with a sort of twitchy, boyish madness. Benjamin Walker played him like a polished predator. Both interpretations are valid, but they changed the "vibe" of the show significantly. New York audiences were maybe a bit more sensitive to the satire of their own backyard—Wall Street.
There’s also the matter of the "ending." Without spoiling it for the three people who haven't seen the movie or read the book: did he do it? The musical leans heavily into the ambiguity. The use of mirrors on stage literally forces the audience to look at themselves.
It’s an indictment. You’re watching a murderer and tapping your toes. What does that say about you?
How to Experience American Psycho Today
Since it’s not currently on Broadway or the West End, you have to be a bit more creative to see it. It pops up in regional theaters and college productions quite a bit because the tech requirements, while high-end, can be scaled down.
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- The London vs. Broadway Cast Recordings: Listen to both. Duncan Sheik’s vocals are present on some demos, too. The London version feels more like a club record; the Broadway version feels like a theatrical event.
- The Script: If you can find the libretto, read Aguirre-Sacasa’s stage directions. They are incredibly specific about the "void" that Bateman lives in.
- Bootlegs and Pro-shots: While there isn't an official pro-shot (sadly), snippets exist online that show the incredible lighting design by Justin Townsend. It won a Tony for a reason.
If you are a fan of Dexter, Nightcrawler, or just really dark synth-pop, you should give the soundtrack a spin. It’s a fascinating look at what happens when a composer tries to break every rule of musical theater while still staying within the confines of a 4/4 beat.
Don't expect a happy ending. Don't expect a moral lesson. Just expect a lot of neon and a very high body count.
To really understand the impact, look into the specific gear Sheik used for the score. He didn't use a standard orchestra pit. He used a massive array of synthesizers and Ableton Live setups, which was revolutionary for Broadway at the time. This technical choice is why the show sounds so "authentic" to the 80s—it wasn't just guys playing keyboards; it was a programmed, electronic landscape that mimicked the soullessness of Bateman’s world.
The next step for any fan is to track down the London cast recording specifically. While the Broadway one is "bigger," the London one captures the cold, clinical atmosphere of the Almeida perfectly. It’s less "showy" and more "slashing." Check out the track "Not a Common Man"—it’s arguably the best distillation of Bateman’s ego ever written.
The show might be dead on 45th Street, but in the world of cult theater, it's just getting started.
Practical Steps for the Curious:
- Listen to the London Cast Recording: It features Matt Smith and has a darker, more industrial feel than the Broadway version.
- Compare the "Business Card" Scene: Watch the movie version, read the book chapter, and then listen to the song "Cards." It’s a fascinating study in how different media handle the same joke.
- Follow Duncan Sheik’s Future Projects: He continues to push the boundaries of what a "theatrical" sound can be, often incorporating the same electronic elements found here.
- Research Regional Rights: If you are a director or involved in a local theater, look into MTI (Music Theatre International) to see if the licensing is available in your area. It’s a great "small cast" show if you have the right lead.