This is not by me, but by a knowledgeable friend who is not on BWW. The subject line of his email was "A Lugubrious Night Music":
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Come back "A Doll's Life," all is forgiven.
Oy. If Lou Dobbs wants my vote, he should campaign against allowing British directors into this country to direct revivals of American musicals. Mr. Nunn evidently watched the wrong Bergman film. He thought he was directing a musical version of "Cries and Whispers" (or perhaps "Persona"). I swear, at least for the first act it was "Edvard Munch-The Musical." Everyone was dressed in black and grey, overemoting on a dingy brown and off-white set. It was all very dark and very dull, particularly for a show that takes place during the summer when the friggin' sun isn't supposed to set. I mean has everyone just come back from a funeral in Lapland?
And as for pacing and humor, I swear I've seen Heddas that were cheerier (and faster).
Then in the second act - hallelujah - everyone changes into white and there's even an occasional birch tree stuck in the dark brown paneled floor. Evidently, that's also the cue for everyone to start hammering home the comedy. Nunn has no feel for the show at all. There' s no consistency of tone, no sense of pace or style, and he seems determined to highlight all of the show's potential pitfalls: the witty book is now out-of-balance and seems a mish-mash of arch pseudo-aphorisms and broadway banter; the Quintet role as "Greek Chorus" is underlined by a lack of characterization or relationships between them, making their constant reprises blunt, over-obvious, and annoying, as well as the subject of inappropriate "Fosca" laughter in the second act; and the cast appears to have been directed to play directly on the text and lyrics, which is a huge mistake for a comedy of manners, which is, after all, supposed to deal with the artificiality of the characters' public masks and behaviors and the distance between what they say they want - and how they think they should act - and what they really need. Worst of all, the music now seems kind of dull and repetitive (oh god, not another melancholy waltz!)
Nunn has also done a terrible job in staging the show. The script requires multiple locations in overlapping scenes -- think of "Weekend in the Country" or the simultaneous second act couplings in the woods and in the mansion. He provides no sense of that wonderful "cinematic fluidity" that Prince and Aronson were able to bring to the piece. (With each new Sondheim revival, it just becomes clearer how much the "Sondheim" shows were really Sondheim- Prince-Aronson shows, and how they were all equally vital to the show's success.) Granted, in this case, he is severely hampered by his set, which is apparently a bigger version of the basic box set from his original Chocolate Factory staging, complete with doors that have to be opened manually and a gateleg wall that needs to be moved mid-scene by the actors, as well as beds and benches to be carried onstage and off. But we're on B'way now and you're asking really big bucks for tickets; could ya maybe, I don't know, upgrade the physical production a bit and perhaps get a set that works for the show (Where's that bloody "Les Mis" turntable now?) I mean they fit the bloody Grey Gardens house on that stage just a year or two ago.
And look, I know it's redundant at this point to complain about the singing when the Brits direct, but even when the actors can sing they are encouraged to talk sing whenever possible and to refrain from sustaining notes or singing too robustly, lest they remind anyone that they're in a musical. Or maybe it's to make sure that they don't overwhelm the piped-in orchestra, which is not only reduced to seven pieces, it's virtually banished from the theater. Seriously, it's tucked away like the Franks; sealed up in a small little attic room that sits above the set off stage right. (If you sit house right upstairs, you can see the lighted conductor's score through a little window.) I know everyone loves Sondheim's lyrics, but perhaps someone ought to give some weight to his music as well. Not to mention Jonathan Tunick's orchestrations.
My issues are not with the "scaling down" or even the chamber orchestra, per se. Nor do I have problems with productions that bring out the "darker side" of shows or that bring different interpretations. I just feel that so many of these productions just drain the life out of these shows. (Sweeney, perhaps, being the exception, despite Doyle's efforts to obscure as much of the piece as possible.) They constantly treat his shows as "difficult," and somewhat unknowable "texts" that come from some distant and unfamiliar land that need to be translated and decoded.
Here's a thought: if you don't like or understand American musicals, don't direct 'em.
As for the cast, CZJ is fine, looks great, has plenty of stage presence and brings some welcome pizazz and energy to the first act. Though I still don't know that she's really right for the role - she doesn't look like she would lose a man EVER -- she might have delivered a Desiree if she had a director who knew what the f-ing style of the show was. But at least she's a pro. Her "Clowns" is fine but she's playing for tears instead of against them and, alas, Sir Trevor has staged the scene as Frederick's and not Desiree's. He's placed her in a lovely off-white dress, on an off-white bed, playing in front of an off-white set, while seated behind Frederick (who's also in off-white). And, not fer nuthin, but given the 7-piece "chamber orchestra," couldn't they have transposed her songs into her key? Frederick, by the way, seems to be the spine of this production -- is he usually? The British actor who was brought over is fine, but there's nothing particuarly memorable about him (though perhaps that's the role). To be sure, he certainly doesn't have half the voice of Len Cariou.
Angie already has some delicious line readings, while she searches for others. (She spent an awful lot of "Liaisons" with the Baron DeSignac and his duchy, with nary a tiny Titian in sight.) Erin Davies is a very young, flutie, and amateurish Charlotte. She is playing very broadly, both comically and dramatically, and lacks the necessary sophistication for the role. Where's Jan Maxwell when you need her? (Oh, nevermind.) Aaron Lazaar is fine (if also young) as C-M, and is at least given permission to hit the big note at the end of "In Praise of Women" (and take off his shirt). As for the young'uns, Henrik overacts a tough part badly and since he doesn't have the requisite top notes, he tries to yell them instead (a bad idea). Anne is extremely giggly and goes flat A LOT, and Petra - who at least can belt - unfortunately thinks she's still playing in "Gypsy" (albeit this time as one of the strippers, and not Dainty June). Our Fredrika, however, was lovely.
And did I mention that everyone is attempting a British accent?
Alright, to be fair, the cast is talented, and they only started previews last week. Certainly Angie will get her lines down, and I'm most of the cast will settle down as well. Maybe Trevor's notes this week will be all about subtext and light comedy technique. Perhaps Steve will come in to remind people that notes are meant to be sung (and occasionally held). One of the producers might drop by to encourage the cast to pick up the pace so that they won't have to pay overtime when the show comes down after 11 pm. And, who knows, maybe somebody will kick in some extra money - maybe from the theater restoration fund? - so that they can add some color to the first act costumes and open a window for the orchestra.
But what do I know. The critics could love it (just like they did all those others).
Anyway, sorry for the lengthy screed, but sometimes Momma's gotta let go.
