The last three songs ‘Pocket Park’, Time’, and ‘A Child’ are very fine, demonstrate what this creative team are capable of at their best, and vindicate the format of the musical as a whole. I would urge all involved to see what can be done to scatter the fairy dust of that final sequence over the first half as well.
There is nothing ground-breaking here. But what there is is a great deal of cleverness, wordplay and daft, idiosyncratic physical comedy involving stock, archetypal characters in stock, archetypal situations. No doubt about it – it looks and sounds like slick episodic television. But it nevertheless will make you laugh.
This is the sort of Musical Comedy which puts equal emphasis on the constituent parts – music and comedy. It’s a gentle, involving and delicious confection. Rather like a wedding, it has taken careful plotting and planning; rather like a wedding cake, it has lots of layers and very fine ingredients to ensure that something will appeal to everyone. It’s not sickly sweet, but surprising and touching, like all good weddings should be.
Together with set designer Michael Yeargan, costume designer Catherine Zuber and choreographer Christopher Gattelli, Bartlett Sher has completely reimagined and reinvigorated Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical both for the vast space that is the Vivian Beaumont stage and for the 21st century. It is a triumph in every respect: gorgeous to look at, immaculate to listen to and something wonderful to experience. Watanabe commendably makes the King his own special, unique creation. As Anna, Kelli O’Hara is incomparable.
“David Cameron, David Beckham, and Prince William walk into a hotel suite” could be the start of a truly cringe-worthy joke, but in The Three Lions, now playing at the St. James Theatre, it is a situation from which some staggeringly brilliant comedy is derived.
Indeed, the most interesting thing about this reworking of the piece is that, while it may be called Gigi, and there is constant talk of, with and about her, the fact is that Gigi is but a supporting character. Really, the musical should be retitled Gaston because this production is about him in every way. Victoria Clarke, Dee Hoty and Howard McGillan shine as the experienced Broadway’s stars they are. But Corey Cott is a true, enduring star in the making and the whole evening is worth it to watch Cott’s assured steps on that path.
Written by Robert Askins and directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, Hand To God plays like an obsidian black farce which turns on those stock elements of farce – violence, sex and religion. The extremity of those elements and their use here is what differentiates this from a run of the mill farce. Askins writes cruelly funny dialogue and the ludicrous situations that develop are undeniably hilarious. But his greatest skill lies in perception – this is a very serious work wrapped up in the glossy laughter of farce.
Christopher Wheeldon’s vision here, as director and choreographer, is remarkably detailed and endlessly lavish and ambitious. Without huge pre-built sets, Bob Crowley creates a never static vista of Parisian streets, monuments, parlours and performance venues. It all contributes to the cinematic feel of the dreamlike qualities which propel the production. Casting is faultless and this is probably the best looking, most innately stylish, cast of any Broadway show now playing. Robert Fairchild, in his Broadway debut, is revelatory as Jerry. Leanne Cope is a shimmering flower of elfin glory as Lise, and Max von Essen triumphs as Henri in a cleverly judged, gloriously sung, pitch perfect performance.
