ALLEGRO at Classic Stage Company — Page 3

According to this interview, CSC gave Doyle freedom to choose a show, and he chose Allegro:

http://92yondemand.org/rodgers-hammersteins-allegro-conversation-performance/

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I was hoping to finally see the whole story with the context for the studio recording that i have, and I was very disappointed that they cut so much of it. I don't understand why they are even allowed to market it as "Allegro" and not "scenes from Allegro" or "excerpts from Allegro" or something similar. If i had known when i bought the ticket that it would only be part of the show, I would have used that time slot to see something else that i didn't have a chance to see. Why is it not required to announce when a production is only a partial production of the show that they are advertising?

http://92yondemand.org/rodgers-hammersteins-allegro-conversation-performance/

It is in fact the original choreography.

Gorgeous singing. Very impressive playing of instruments by the actors and good performances. Doubling on violin and trumpet? Wow! Alas, I found the whole evening very dull. Not a good musical at all.

You see in the original that Janice Rule danced Agnes DeMille's choreography. It's hard to dance with a tuba in your hand.

What's next Chorus line where everyone plays their own instruments and there is no choreography? I hate this Doyle one trick convention.

Not to knock the actors, but w/ the instruments means you aren't really getting the best actor for the part per say, but who can play these instruments and carry a tune. I think his Sweeney was phenomenal and I'm so glad I saw it. But I didn't love Company.

Kad I think you hit the nail on the head. Totally agree with your summation. The actors are quite good. As musicians they are quite good. The piece is quite bland and preachy.

Well, Brantley likes what Doyle has done with it.
NYT Review of Allegro

The thing is, the work was conceived as something like a Greek epic. Archetypical characters, very little scenery (the projections by Mielziner--NYPL's site has many of them--are GORGEOUS,) a greek chorus, a huge dancing chorus, etc. The problem is they wanted this epic staging for a very small scale story, but I still think that approach would at least be interesting. (Of course apparently DeMille wasn't quite up to being a director as well as choreographer, there were problems with the screens--one dancer almost lost a foot in one of the tracks for them--and more set bits were added, etc.)

Having read the script and knowing the recording well, I just think if done small scale it might seem all the more trite.

With three concise, carefully chosen iconic abstractions -- the beat of a man’s heart (pulsing throughout the 90-minute version at CSC) a shaft of light streaming across a skyscraper’s window, a deceased mother’s favorite wooden chair; Mr. Doyle tells the story of a man’s life and burgeoning career in a big city. These images are a stunning counterpoint to the "actor muso" concept for which Mr. Doyle is renowned.

Precise orchestrations are used to underscore the subtext of each character's narrative; a manipulative female plays her violin so that the sweeter girl's guitar strains (So Far) never really reach our hero's ears. Mr. Doyle’s direction is dazzlingly lean, pared down disarmingly well – but make no mistake, you are being held to account here as a viewing member of the proceedings. The lecturing and posturing, frequently referred to in the original production as unwieldy, is utilized earnestly here; lights up on the audience, actors right in your face, it now resembles the work of the WPA’s Federal Theatre Project of the mid-to-late 1930’s. Mr. Doyle’s work likens this lovely gem to "Waiting for Lefty" and "The Cradle Will Rock" rather than "Our Town."

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