The Drowsy Chaperone

I think another musical that uses a similar technique, which might be easier to understand and help with understanding The Drowsy Chaperone, is Into the Woods.  When we see the Narrator in Into the Woods we can easily compare him to the Man in The Drowsy Chaperone.  Both characters offer what appears to be commentary on a show they are not a part of.  In reality they are both characters of these musicals and not outsiders. 
The Man’s first lines are “I hate theatre.”  He goes on to explain what about modern theatre he despises in comparison to those composed in the 1920s.  The Man thoroughly primes us to appreciate whatever follows, which turns out to be one of those intricately and improbably plotted tales of love in crisis involving a wide range of characters including gangsters, show people, millionaires and servants. The cast members are bright and eager and energetic, but with a couple of exceptions they don't quite grasp what it is they're sending up.  Appropriately for an age in which self-consciousness has become as essential and expected as the element of human communication these notions are seemingly questioned in this musical.  They seem to be challenging the notion of ‘fluff’ versus strong dramatic themes.