CoW's Review of LoveMusik

[Cages or Wings]

Posted: 5/9/07 at 9:58pm

Okay so this review may come off as a bit all over the place, but please bare with me.

After getting out of work early today, I decided to go catch the matinee of LoveMusik, a show I have been eagerly anticipating for months. It goes without saying that Harold Prince is a genius. Additionally, I have loved pretty much everything that both Michael Cerveris and Donna Murphy have ever done, and I have long been a fan of Alfred Uhry's work, from "Driving Miss Daisy" to his excellent book for "Parade," so LM seemed to be a can't miss for me. Maybe the preceding factors lead to impossibly high expectations, but regardless, I left the Biltmore this afternoon more disappointed than I have been after any show this season.

First, this is not to say that LoveMusik is the worst show of the season. Obviously that is not the case. The simple fact is that LM has the most unrealized potential of any show this season. What I expected to be a quiet introspective bio-musical, turned out to be nothing more than your run of the mill jukebox show, with an inconsistent tone, shoddily developed characters, and jumps in plot that cover too many years at once, stripping the show of any momentum that it does manage to gather. What I find to be the most problematic aspect of the show is that Weill’s music, by its nature, is a bit “high brow.” Meaning that where “Jersey Boys” target audience is the middle-aged people who grew up with Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, LoveMusik’s target audience is the more die-hard theatergoer who is familiar with much of Weill’s work. The major issue arises from the show’s structure, which is paint-by-numbers jukebox, and bound to be a bit unsatisfying for a target audience that is expecting something a bit more than Jersey Boys or Buddy with a German twist.

Before I move on, I want to say that both Michael Cerveris and Donna Murphy are fantastic in their respective roles. They do a great deal with the little they are given. But like most of the show, their performances only tease the audience with what could have been.

I think that what really holds LM back is its scope. The show would be much more successful if they chose a small period in the Weill/Lenya relationship, found the drama there, and used songs as Weill was writing them in the narrative, as opposed to attempting to cover so much time in one show. By attempting to shove so much into the two and a half hours, Weill and Lenya don’t come off as real characters that develop and change, but rather they are a collection of different versions of Weill and Lenya at different points in their relationship. It is as if Weill alone is more like 6 different characters than one who continues to change. I realize that this may have been part of the show’s intention, but I think because of it, LM sacrifices a consistent tone.

To (very) quickly touch on design, I was generally impressed with the set, costumes, and lighting. My major issue with the set is just a personal bias. Namely, I'm a fan of minimalism and this show uses set pieces everywhere. I don't know. Not a huge issue, especially compared to those already discussed.

Okay well I hope that wasn't too hard to follow, as it's been a long time since I wrote a review. I do encourage everyone to get out and see it if you can, if not just for the great performances by Cerveris and Murphy. But try to remember that there are other, better shows out there to spend your time and money on.
Updated On: 5/9/07 at 09:58 PM

[hiltyfied]

Posted: 5/9/07 at 10:11pm

I saw the matinee today as well, and was disappointed by the final product (my expectations were probably way too high though). I agree with most of what you said in your review, particularly regarding the plot jumps. I found Donna Murphy's performance more enjoyable than Michael Cerveris', but they were both excellent. I was debating between LoveMusik and Curtains. I don't regret my choice, mainly because Curtains doesn't have student rush, but I really don't think LoveMusik should get many Tony nominations. Certainly not Best Musical, or Best Director.

[Cages or Wings]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 2:12pm

Sorry for the annoyance but BUMP Updated On: 5/10/07 at 02:12 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 2:16pm

I'm glad you bumped it because I didn't see this earlier.