SAINT JOAN

Written by Bernard Shaw

Directed by Daniel Sullivan
Through June 10, 2018

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre

261 West 47th Street

(212-239-6200), www.saintjoanbroadway.com

By David NouNou

Shaw’s Saint Joan in the best of productions is ponderous and lugubrious. And in the worst-case scenario, it can be like a bad college production with poor direction, acting of all different styles and no cohesion. Well, here we are, folks. What is most mystifying about this production is the direction of Daniel Sullivan, a brilliant director with occasional misfires. Last year at this same time, he directed Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes for the Manhattan Theatre Club with glorious results; fresh, crisp, and razor sharp. This time around everything is stale, wilted and tiresome

The proceedings aren’t made any easier by the mere fact of Bernard Shaw’s verbose text. It is so bogged down by repetition, you need a red pencil for major editing. Starting in 1429 in Vaucouleurs (in Northeastern France), the French have been at war with England for over 90 years and have been severely defeated, demoralized, and depleted. On top of it all, France hasn’t had a king for over 10 years, and a lot of the cities have been governed under British rule.

It is at this point that Joan (Condola Rashad), also known as “the Maid,” is presented to the squire of her province, Robert de Baudricort (Patrick Page), stating that the voices of St. Margaret and St. Catherine have spoken to her to lead an army against England. All she needs is a horse and a suit of armor to lead the men into battle. When presented with the obstacles in front of her, she states that it doesn’t matter, for she has God on her side.

Claiming victories and proving victorious, thus earning the respect of the men in her command, her next mission is to find The Dauphin, Charles VII, known as Charlie (Adam Chanler-Berat) and crowning him King of France. Charles has his own problems; he is a spineless twit, who gets no respect and just wants to be left alone and remain the nothing that he is. Joan persists and eventually crowns him as the next king.

Being vexed by Joan’s rising popularity and victories, the Earl of Warwick (Jack Davenport) wants her burned at the stake as a heretic, thus bribing the French Catholic Church to bring her in and charging her with sedition. The Bishop of Beauvais, Cauchon (Walter Bobbie), has some moral misgivings about prosecuting her. But due to her strong willfulness and refusing to renounce her voices and God, and her refusal to dress as a woman instead of a soldier, in a mock trial stacked against her, Joan signs her own death warrant and is burned at the stake. As history, this is a glorious tale of the hypocrisy of church and state. As written by Bernard Shaw and the unnecessary 20-minute epilogue that follows, it is an interminable evening.

Adding to the production’s misfires is Condola Rashad as Joan. Ms. Rashad is a lovely young actress, and one of the best of her generation. She is a three-time Tony Award nominee and deserved to win for each of her performances. The problem here is Joan is supposed to be a simple peasant girl whose motivations are clearly directed by the voices she hears. She is an innocent trapped by her own victories and strongheadedness. Ms. Rashad is by no means simple in any way, her actions seem of her own doing rather than the voices she hears, thus causing a major and tragic flaw to the balance of the play.

As for the rest of the cast, renowned as they are: Patrick Page, Walter Bobbie, Daniel Sunjata, John Glover, Adam Chanler-Berat, Jack Davenport are all doing various degrees of hamming. From Mr. Page’s Shakespearean intonations to Mr. Davenport’s unnecessary comedic buffoonery, each brings a different style from 1400s France to 2018. Wasn’t Mr. Sullivan out there watching the ensuing proceedings? Isn’t he supposed to bring them together and place them all on the same page?

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 30, 2018
Reviewed at April 27, 2018 press performance.

‘SAINT JOAN’: Condola Rashad. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘SAINT JOAN’: Condola Rashad & Daniel Sunjata. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘SAINT JOAN’: Adam Chanler-Berat. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘SAINT JOAN’: Jack Davenport. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘SAINT JOAN’: Walter Bobbie. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘SAINT JOAN’: John Glover. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘SAINT JOAN’: Patrick Page. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘SAINT JOAN’: Adam Chanler-Berat & Condola Rashad. Photo: Joan Marcus

The post ‘Saint Joan’: Shaw revival misses the mark appeared first on StageZine.

‘AMÉLIE:: Adam Chanler-Berat & Phillipa Soo. Photo: Joan Marcus

AMÉLIE: A NEW MUSICAL
Book by Craig Lucas
Music by Daniel Messe
Lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Mr. Messe
Based on the movie by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Guillaume Laurant
Directed by Pam MacKinnon
Choreography by Sam Pinkleton
Walter Kerr Theatre
219 West 48th Street
New York, NY
(212-239-6200),www.AmelieBroadway.com

By David NouNou

Look up the definition of asphyxiation: “the state or process of being deprived of oxygen, which can result in unconsciousness or death; suffocation.” Asphyxiate is exactly what the creators and Pam McKinnon have done to the enchanting , quirky 2001 French film Amélie, which was set in Paris. Supposedly it is still set in Paris but you would never know it, other than French names of characters and avenues being mentioned. What was once an enchanting, charming and a colorful motion picture full of visual delights has been reduced to slow-motion comic strips devoid of whimsy or fairytale delights.

Amélie (Phillipa Soo), born to very strict parents, home schooled and her lonely childhood filled with daydreaming, has grown up and moved to Paris. There she works in a café owned by Suzanne (Harriet D. Foy), lives opposite a wise old painter, Dufayel (Tony Sheldon), swirls around many characters circling her orbit and naturally a boyfriend, Nino (Adam Chanler-Berat). There’s even an Elton John-style character called “Rock Star” (Randy Blair), thrown in for no apparent reason.

Once in Paris, Amélie finds an old treasure box under the floor boards in her apartment. She also learns of the death of Princess Diana and her philanthropic deeds. With this news, Amélie starts on her yellow brick road to find the owner of the box and start doing good deeds for others. With this transformation she in turn transforms her life as well as others.

In the movie it was a lovely yarn set all around Paris and the magic that fills the city. In this version it can be anywhere USA, but we are told it is Paris. The score is lifeless and dreary; no lilting French music or haunting melodies, just dirges. What should have been lighter-than-air direction is a plodfest of caricature thanks to Pam McKinnon.

Phillipa Soo (of Hamilton fame) gives her all to muster some life into the show, but the leaden material she is given drowns her. Tony Sheldon, as the wise neighbor and painter, comes off best; he is a pure delight.

Amélie is the latest victim to join the ranks of such dreadful, misguided musicals based on films that should never have been musicalized: Bonnie and Clyde, American Psycho, Honeymoon In Vegas, Bullets Over Broadway and the most epic dud of them all, Dr. Zhivago.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 7, 2017
Reviewed at press performance on April 6, 2017

‘AMÉLIE:’: Phillipa Soo & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘AMÉLIE’: Phillipa Soo, David Andino & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘AMELIÉ::’: Phillipa Soo & Adam Chanler-Berat. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘AMÉLIE’: The cast & Phillipa Soo. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘AMELIE’: Adam Chanler-Berat & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘AMÉLIE’: Adam Chanler-Berat & Phillipa Soo. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘AMELIE’: Adam Chanler-Berat & Phillipa Soo. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘AMÉLIE’: Tony Sheldon & Phillipa Soo. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘AMÉLIE’: Phillipa Soo & Savvy Crawford. Photo: Joan Marcus

The post ‘Amélie’ musical adaptation loses magic in translation appeared first on StageZine.