Camelot

B

It has been over 62 years since I saw Lerner and Loewe’s (My Fair Lady, Gigi) Arthurian musical during its pre-Broadway Boston run. My memories are dim, but I do recall enjoying the wonderful music and clever lyrics sung by its three stars (Richard Burton, Julie Andrews and Robert Goulet). I don’t remember much about the book, which is probably significant. The fact that it has not had a Broadway revival since 1993 has usually been blamed on its less-than-satisfying book. Now Lincoln Center Theater has engaged Aaron Sorkin (To Kill a Mockingbird) for a do-over and the result is in previews on the Vivian Beaumont stage. I don’t remember the details of the original clearly enough to say whether the revised book is a step forward or backward, but I will say that the material remains largely intractable. While the more intimate scenes work well, the attempt to squeeze in so much exposition, particularly in the second act, weighs heavily on the show. And it all leads to an ending that I found musically and dramatically unsatisfying. Nevertheless, I was grateful for the opportunity to hear the gorgeous songs again, sung by three fine singing actors (Andrew Burnap (Inheritance), Phillipa Soo (Hamilton) and Matias de la Flor (u/s for Jordan Donica), accompanied by a large orchestra. Burnap not only sings well, but is a fine actor. While I liked Soo, I thought she presented as more womanly than girlish. I was sorry to miss Donica, but de la Flor sang and acted convincingly. The set by Michael Yeargan (My Fair Lady) resembles the interior of a cathedral with props dragged in as needed. Since they did introduce a largish table, I was surprised it was not round. Jennifer Moeller’s costumes for the knights were initially rather drab in charcoal and black until colored capes were added later. The costumes for Guenevere were quite lavish. The choreography by Byron Easley (Slave Play) did not make a strong impression. Director Bartlett Sher’s musical winning streak at LCT (South Pacific, My Fair Lady, The King and I) led me to arrive with expectations that were too high. A word about seating – don’t get center seats in the first few rows because the jutting stage is quite high. I have heard complaints that from these seats the orchestra, which is underneath the stage, sounds too loud and the voices sound too weak. I was glad to have seen the show even though it disappointed in some respects. Running time: two hours 50 minutes including intermission.

My Fair Lady

A

Bartlett Sher and Lincoln Center Theater have done it again. With their wonderful revivals of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific and The King and I, they had set the bar for musical revivals very high. Nevertheless, they have managed to outdo themselves with this spectacular production of Lerner and Loewe’s much-loved musical based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. In the roles created by Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews, Sher boldly cast two actors whose names are not instantly recognizable and who had not previously been seen in musicals, Harry Hadden-Paton ("Downton Abbey," "The Crown") as Professor Henry Higgins and Lauren Ambrose (Awake and Sing!; "Six Feet Under") as Eliza Doolittle. Sher’s gamble has paid off handsomely. In addition to her considerable acting chops, Ms. Ambrose turns out to have a lovely voice. Mr. Hadden-Patton is a fine actor who negotiates the transition between speaking and singing with great skill. As Eliza’s father Alfred P. Doolittle, the ever-enjoyable Norbert Leo Butz (Catch Me If You Can, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) threatens to steal the show. Allan Corduner (Titanic, "Topsy-Turvy"), a stalwart of the London theater scene, is excellent as Colonel Pickering. Theater icon Diana Rigg (Medea, The Misanthrope) lends dignity and warmth to the role of Mrs. Higgins. Jordan Donica (The Phantom of the Opera) makes a handsome, vocally adept Freddy Eynsford-Hill, a role I find underwritten. Linda Mugleston (Beautiful, On the 20th Century) is properly unflappable as Higgins’s housekeeper Mrs. Pearce. Manu Narayan (Bombay Dreams) seems a bit too broad and effete as Hungarian linguist Professor Zoltan Karpathy. In addition to his wonderful two-level revolving main set for the interior of 27A Wimpole Street, Michael Yeargan (Oslo, The King and I) has created an evocative Covent Garden, an opulent embassy ballroom, a minimalist but clever setting for Ascot, for Mrs. Higgins’s solarium and for the interior of Doolittle’s favorite pub. The period costumes by Catherine Zuber (Junk, Oslo, The King and I) are superb. The choreography by Christopher Gattelli (The King and I, Newsies) is fine, although I didn’t understand why there were gender-bending chorines in the pub scene. The large orchestra under Ted Sperling is wonderful and gets to appear onstage en masse at the ball. The music, lyrics and book remain among the best ever written for a musical. Bartlett Sher (also Oslo, Golden Boy, Fiddler on the Roof) has brought it all together seamlessly and satisfyingly. It’s a near-perfect production of what many have called the perfect musical. My only reservation is about the ending, where Sher has chosen to follow Shaw rather than Lerner and Loewe (Camelot, Brigadoon, Gigi). Without that quibble, I would have given it an A+. Running time: two hours 55 minutes including intermission.

Fiddler on the Roof ****

My theater-going year got off to a very satisfying start with the excellent revival of this beloved 1964 musical now on Broadway. With its wonderful music and lyrics by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick and excellent book by Joseph Stein, the show is virtually indestructible. Not even the absence of Jerome Robbins’s direction and choreography threatens its almost inevitable success. Bartlett Sher, who has so adeptly directed revivals of classic musicals at Lincoln Center, does not disappoint. Except for a brief framing device that I found somewhat ineffective, he is entirely respectful to the material. Hofesh Sheather’s choreography is true to the spirit of Robbins. Ultimately, the show’s success rests on its Tevye. Danny Burstein is superb, offering more humanity and less shtick than some of his predecessors. I was skeptical of casting Jessica Hecht, an actress I often find too mannered, as Golde, but she surprised me with a thoughtful, understated performance. Alexandra Silber, Samantha Massell and Melanie Moore are all fine as daughters Tzeitel, Hodel and Chava. Adam Kantor as Motel and Ben Rappaport as Perchik are also strong. Alix Korey as Yente seemed a bit too broad in her first scene, but calmed down a bit later. The other actors, too numerous to list here, were generally strong. The set by Michael Yeargan, through its use of floating buildings that grow smaller as the story progresses, reinforces the play’s theme. Catherine Zuber's costumes are fine too. Ted Sperling’s musical direction is exemplary. The show’s emotional highlights worked their usual magic on me. It’s good to have this stellar example of the golden age of American musicals back in town. Running time: 2 hours, 50 minutes.

What I Did Last Summer **

For the second revival in their A.R. Gurney residency, Signature Theatre has chosen this semi-autobiographical memory play from 1981. Charlie (Noah Galvin), the 14-year-old Gurney stand-in, recalls the Summer of 1945 when his father was away at war in the Pacific and his mother Grace (Carolyn McKormick) was trying valiantly to hold their WASP family together in his absence. Charlie, his mother and his older sister Elsie (Kate McGonigle) are spending the summer at their vacation home on the Canadian side of Lake Erie not far from Buffalo. Charlie and Ted (Pico Alexander), a townie two years his senior, both like to spend time with Bonny (Juliet Brett), a girl near their age but much wiser. The rebellious Charlie answers a “Help Wanted” ad placed by the local outcast Anna Trumbull (Kristine Nielsen). A free spirit, she has abandoned her WASP upbringing to live a hermit-like existence on the lakeside property left her by her former lover. She claims to see artistic potential in Charlie and gives him art lessons after his chores are done. He shows no aptitude for painting, sculpture, macrame or anything else she tries to teach him. She also fills his head with anti-establishment socialistic ideas. After one argument too many with his mother, Charlie flees home and moves into Anna’s barn. There is a battle for Charlie’s soul between Anna and Grace who, it turns out, had her own experiences with Anna 20 years prior. Clumsy plot devices intrude and the ending is less than satisfactory. Director Jim Simpson has chosen to introduce a drummer (Dan Weiner) to punctuate the action, a needless distraction. Michael Yeargan’s minimalist set is enhanced by John Narun’s projections of typed characters filling the back wall with stage directions. Claudia Brown's costumes are attractive and appropriate. All the characters save one address the audience to ponder whether the play is really about them. Despite the fine cast (although I found Galvin a bit too hyperactive) and a snazzy production, the play simply did not engage me. So far, the Gurney residency has been underwhelming. “The Wayside Motor Inn” showed him in his Ayckbourn mode and this play has echoes of Wilder. Let’s hope that next season’s Gurney premiere will salvage the residency and display more of the characteristics that made me a Gurney fan. Running time: two hours including intermission.

The King and I ****

Lincoln Center Theater has revived this Rodgers and Hammerstein musical in a lavish production directed by Bartlett Sher. While it doesn’t reach the dizzying heights of his “South Pacific” at LCT, it is still very good indeed. It should come as no surprise that Kelli O’Hara is superb as Anna. Ken Watanabe, with the unenviable task of playing a role virtually owned by Yul Brynner, acquits himself quite honorably. Ashley Park and Conrad Ricamora are fine as the young lovers. Ruth Ann Miles is an exemplary Lady Thiang. Paul Nakauchi is good as the prime minister, as is Jon Viktor Corpuz as the young prince. The children could not be any cuter. Xiaochuan XIe is excellent as Eliza in “The Small House of Uncle Thomas” ballet. Christopher Gatelli’s choreography, based on Jerome Robbins’s original, is quite good. The costumes by Catherine Zuber are very attractive. I have mixed feelings about Michael Yeargen’s scenic design. The arrival of the ship in Bangkok harbor is quite a spectacle, but his treatment of the palace is unconventionally bland. Except for ornate carvings on the pillars, the set is extremely plain, dominated by an ominous grey wall across the back. I thought the wall symbolized how cut off the palace was from the world, but then it lifted briefly for no apparent reason during the second act. The music retains all its appeal and the plot still tugs at the heartstrings. While I think about 10 minutes of judicious cuts would be a good idea, the length isn’t really a problem. It was a treat to see it again so lovingly produced. Running time: 2 hours 55 minutes including intermission.

The Bridges of Madison County ***

If you found the novel by Robert James Walker or the movie with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep too treacly, you were probably planning to take a pass on the musical version, now in previews, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown and a book by Marsha Norman. That would be a shame, because you would miss seeing two of our finest musical theater talents, Kelli O'Hara as Francesca and Stephen Pasquale as Robert, both in top form; their chemistry together is absolutely sizzling (which you might not have expected after their previous outing, "Far from Heaven"). Add a beautiful score by Brown, an excellent set by Michael Yeargan, attractively appropriate costumes by Catherine Zuber, evocative lighting by Donald Holder and sensitive direction by Bartlett Sher, and you end up with a lot to admire. Norman's book has its ups and downs. She has opened the story up with more time given to Francesca's family and neighbors and Robert's former wife. The addition of the neighbor couple, Marge and Charlie, works out fine because they are played by two fine actors, Cass Morgan and Michael X. Martin. I would have preferred omitting Francesca's sister and Robert's ex, especially since the show could use some trimming. For me, its flaws were far outweighed by its strengths. I would overlook a lot to catch O'Hara and Pasquale together onstage. Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes, including intermission.

Golden Boy ***

(Please click on the title to see the complete review.)
Lincoln Center Theater's lavish 75th anniversary production of this Clifford Odets classic is now in previews at the Belasco Theatre. The cast of 19, directed by Bartlett Sher, features such stalwarts as Tony Shalhoub, Danny Burstein and Jonathan Hadary, whose topnotch performances were, for me,  the main reason to see the play. Lucas Caleb Rooney, Dagmara Dominczyk and Michael Aronov are fine as Joe Bonaparte's brother, sister and brother-in-law respectively. Anthony Crivello is appropriately menacing as Eddie Fuselli. Yvonne Strahovski (Hanna on Dexter) makes an impressive debut as Lorna Moon. Danny Mastrogiorgio seemed a bit shaky as Joe's manager. And then there's Seth Numrich as Joe. Let me just say that he is not an obvious choice for the part. He is too big to be plausible as a welterweight, he doesn't look remotely Italian and his acting is outclassed by his fellow cast members. It is a tribute to the overall excellence of the production that this weakness does not seriously harm it. Michael Yeargan's multiple sets are excellent and Catherine Zuber's costumes are superb. I was surprised that the play did not seem as dated as I had expected and that Odets had managed to keep his usual sermonizing mostly in check until the third act. The ending is rather flat. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the evening more than I expected to. Running time: 2 hours, 50 minutes, including two intermissions.