An atmosmpheric set, a skilled group of supporting women and a fascinating premise make Signature Theatre’s Nevermore an ambitious project fueled by talent, but ultimately add up to a well-intentioned but flawed gothic musical.

Nevermore, a 90 minute musical without intermission, chronicles the life and loves of Edgar Allen Poe, and relies largely on Poe’s own words for its lyrics. At times, the poems can deliver haunting phrases (“From childhood’s hour, I have not been as others were,” Poe intones, and as the play continues, we see how set apart Poe is from his peers), but often, the words get lost as Poe’s more intricate stanzas are put to song.

The musical’s largest fault is that it lacks subtlety. The show doesn’t fall victim to the same fate as many other gothic musicals that have recently hit Broadway, which descend into camp without fully committing to it. Nevermore certainly takes itself seriously. But it spells everything out for the audience. There is too much conversation about Edgar’s demons, about his longing for the dark side; nothing is imagined or inferred. It’s all put out on the table, and to make Poe a figure devoid of mystery seems an unthinkable contradiction.