‘Goosebumps’: An Endless Line of Cliches

If only “Trust Your Goosebumps, Cornelius Puck!” at the Matrix, elicited a single goosebump, we might trust it. But this show is likelier to produce yawns.

It’s a mindless musical examination of a wealthy 35-year-old man (Gary Imhoff) searching for his true self. He had followed his parents’ (Greg Mullavey and Kelly Britt) advice to get rich, marrying a tawdry mercenary (Lindy Robbins) along the way instead of his childhood friend (Stacey Shaffer) who urged him to write music instead. But now he wants out.

So do we--from this show.

How does he escape? By running for President, of course. Guided by a chubby but remarkably elastic angel (Avery Saltzman), he recruits a black running mate (Wren T. Brown) and tries to win by losing. Or is it lose by winning?

Writer Allan Jay Friedman’s cliches--musical, lyrical and dramaturgical--are endless. That childhood friend, for example, grows up to become--yes--an artist in Paris. Spare us.

David Galligan’s cast is professional enough, but it’s hard to imagine that anyone outside Friedman’s family and friends really believes in this project.

“Trust Your Goosebumps, Cornelius Puck!” Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave., Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; matinees Saturdays, Sundays, 3 p.m. Ends Jan. 20. $14.50; (213) 852-1445. Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes.