I was at tonight's performance and found this production to be a thoroughly mixed bag. Don't get me wrong- I cried multiple times this evening. It's always been a wonderful show, and hearing that score performed by that orchestra was really glorious. The first chords alone took my breath away. I'd also forgotten how excellent the book is- it's so tight and well-constructed. I was also pleased to see this production do away with that odd interlude where Dot reveals she's pregnant.
The cast is mostly very good and sings well, though I did think the male voices in Sunday could be a little stronger- I mostly heard the soprano line, which distracted from the harmonies. Ashley Park gave my favorite performance of the night- I always love the Celestes, but she made more of Celeste 1 than I thought possible. Robert Sean Leonard, Erin Davie, Jenni Barber, and Philip Boykin also did some nice work.
It's a problem for any Sunday production, however, when one of the Celestes gives one of the most consistent performances. Jake and Annaleigh are very good, for the most part. But there is a tentativeness to both of their performances- Jake, in particular, hasn't fully formed a characterization for either George yet. In fairness, I think it's a deceptively difficult role to play, but he didn't do much to distinguish himself. His signing was fine, and he does have a few lovely acting moments, but it isn't a fully realized performance. Dot and Marie, in contrast, have a lot more material to play with, and Annaleigh generally does well, but I felt like a lot of it was surface work. We Do Not Belong Together, in particular, felt more like she was focusing on the music rather than acting. Sung beautifully, but very little feeling behind it. I will say both of them did wonderful stuff with Color and Light- those last moments felt electric between them, and I've never seen that scene work quite so well.
Ultimately, I think the blame lies with Sarna Lapine more than anyone else. The direction here is virtually nonexistent, and it extends to the performances. Why oh why, if you're going to expand the ensemble, make the stage smaller for heaven's sake? Why did she not have Jake stand still while he sang Finishing the Hat? Why in the world is George rolling around on the ground during The Day Off? Granted, I hate that sequence, but it was needlessly bizarre. I wonder if a stronger hand could have helped Annaleigh and Jake, who are both great, but were stranded playing difficult roles. The scenes are staged decently enough, but the show is sort of at sea, staging-wise, during the musical numbers. And for the love of god, I truly don't understand the purpose of having a smaller stage- it's a baffling choice.
The design is fine, more or less. Some of the projection work is quite pretty, especially in Color and Light, but it is not a set. I don't think Sunday needs a luxurious set to work, but it is a show based on a painting- and this is a rather drab production despite that inspiration. The lighting is quite nice, and the Chromolume is fun.
This makes me sound like I hated this, which I didn't at all! It is a gorgeous show and that's still true here. But I was frustrated that everything still felt a little under-prepared and undercooked. Still, if you love this show, I would encourage you to go- there's enough good here that it's worth checking out. Just don't expect it to fully soar in the way this musical can.
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
Updated On: 2/23/17 at 12:22 AM
