Travesties

A-

In his early plays, Tom Stoppard’s need to show the audience how clever he is was tempered by a playfulness that made this habit bearable and, in the present case, thoroughly enjoyable. I did not expect to be so delighted by this rollicking production imported by Roundabout Theatre from London’s Menier Chocolate Factory. A brilliant director, Patrick Marber (Closer), and a superb cast led by Tom Hollander (King Lear, Tartuffe) combine to make as strong a case for the play as I could imagine. Don’t be intimidated by the complexity of the setup. Stoppard has taken the fact that James Joyce (Peter McDonald; The Weir), Lenin (Dan Butler; Twentieth Century) and Dada founder Tristan Tzara (Seth Numrich; War Horse, Golden Boy), were all living in Zurich in 1917 and has imagined their interactions, as recalled in the addled memory of Henry Carr (Hollander), a minor British consular official, 50 years later. Did I mention that Stoppard presents the story as a riff on Oscar Wilde’s The Important of Being Earnest? You needn’t waste a moment reacquainting yourself with the principal characters. Just arrive early enough to read the two-page cheat sheet in your Playbill and you’ll be fine. We also meet Lenin’s wife Nadya (Opal Aladdin; Hedda Gabler), Carr’s sister Gwendolyn (Scarlett Strallen; A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), his enigmatic butler Bennett (Patrick Kerr; The Ritz) and the left-leaning librarian Cecily (Sara Topham; The Importance of Being Earnest). Amidst the hilarity, we get arguments on the proper role of the artist in society. There’s also a bit of song and dance. The inventiveness rarely flags. The actors are all wonderful. I expected Tom Hollander to be fine, but was surprised by the manic physical humor of Seth Numrich. Tim Hatley (Private Lives) designed the dark paneled set decorated with blank books and scattered pages, as well as the attractive period costumes. My one complaint is that it may be too much of a good thing. It’s hard to maintain the appropriate level of attention for so long. If you let your attention slip for even a moment, you are likely to miss some allusion or quip. I had a much better time than I expected to. Running time: two hours 40 minutes including intermission.

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (Revisited) ****

Although I rarely see a show more than once, an invitation to join a family outing brought me back to this Tony winner. Here's what I had to say in December 2013:

Jefferson Mays, established master of multiple roles since "I Am My Own Wife," outdoes himself by playing eight distinct characters in this delightful new Broadway musical by Robert L. Freedman (book and lyrics) and Steven Lutvak (music and lyrics). He portrays all the members of the D'Ysquith family, male and female, who are blocking Monty Navarro's (Bryce Pinkham) ambition to become Earl of Highhurst. The news from Miss Shingle (Jane Carr), an old family friend, that Monty's mother was disinherited by the D'Ysquiths for marrying a Castilian sets Monty on a path of revenge. If the plot sounds familiar, it's based on the same novel as the classic Alec Guinness film "Kind Hearts and Coronets." There are two women in his life, Sibella (Lisa O'Hare), a sexy schemer he can't resist, and Phoebe (Lauren Worsham), a virginal D'Ysquith cousin who falls for him. Part of the fun is seeing how Monty does each family member in. The wonderful Edwardian jewel-box set by Alexander Dodge, the excellent costumes by Lisa Cho, the clever projections by Aaron Rhyne and the amusing choreography by Peggy Hickey add greatly to the experience. Director Darko Tresnjak keeps everything lively. Pinkham manages the difficult task of making us care about a serial killer and Mays is simply amazing. The music, falling somewhere between operetta and music hall, is pleasant and the lyrics are a witty treat. My only quibble is that it's a bit too much of a good thing -- the first act is just short of 90 minutes. I hope that the lack of a star with greater name recognition in the hinterlands will not prevent it from having the success it deserves. Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes including intermission.

I am happy to report that, although it has been running for close to two years, the production is as lively and polished as it was in 2013. Jefferson Mays is still with the show and Bryce Pinkham has returned, so the two key roles are in expert hands. Scarlett Strallen is an excellent Sibella and Catherine Walker is good as Phoebe. The sets, projections and costumes continue to delight. The music seemed a little more monotonous this time and the lyrics were occasionally lost by less than ideal enunciation, but the show is still a wonderful treat.