The Fix

The Fix is a rock musical with music by Dana Rowe and lyrics by John Dempsey. It premiered in 1997 at the Donmar Warehouse in London, directed by Sam Mendes, and starring John Barrowman and Philip Quast.

It follows the career of Calvin Chandler, delinquent son of a major U.S. Senator, who is roped into politics by his ambitious mother and scheming uncle after his father is found dead in bed with his mistress. He has no actual interest in public service, but his natural charisma turns him into a rising star. He also falls in love with a mob-connected stripper/nightclub singer/junkie named Tina, and happy antics ensue.

This musical contains examples of the following:

"It's mine, Grahame, it's mine!
 * Ambition Is Evil - Cal's villainous mother Violet is determined to end up in the White House:

One way, or another

If I can't be the wife of the President

You can bet your ass I'll be his mother"


 * Ghost Song - The several numbers including Cal's father Reed qualify.
 * "I Am" Song - "One, Two, Three"
 * Ironic Echo - "The upper hand", as demonstrated in the song "Upper Hand"
 * The Mafia - The Chandler family has loose ties with a stereotypically Italian mob boss.
 * Manipulative Bastard - Grahame, and to a lesser extent Violet.
 * Precision F-Strike - Cal accidentally says "fuck" in front of the press while on the city council, but manages to turn it into a show-stopping number about how he's a straight-shooting, plain-spoken guy. It works.
 * Sleazy Politician - Reed
 * Speech Impediment - One of the reasons Grahame, a brilliant political strategist, could never get elected to public office, is because he has a stutter. The other, more prominent reason, is that he cannot walk without crutches thanks to childhood polio.
 * Straight Gay - Grahame, or at least Philip Quast's Grahame. It can differ by production.
 * Straight Gay - Grahame, or at least Philip Quast's Grahame. It can differ by production.