‘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.

A DELICATE BALANCE
Written by Edward Albee
Directed by Pam McKinnon
John Golden Theatre
252 West 45th Street
(212-239-6200), http://www.ADelicateBalanceBroadway.com/

By David NouNou

The house that Agnes and Tobias have lived in for the past 40 plus years is made out of nothing but glass. Though sturdy looking from the outside, and well decorated on the inside, the people living in it, though resilient on the outside, are about to shatter on the inside. For the framework of the house is built on nothing but fear, loss, loneliness, disillusionment, escape and lots of visits to the bar and drinks.

The latest revival of Edward Albee’s classic is rather uneven compared to the outstanding 1996 production with Elaine Stritch, Rosemary Harris and George Grizzard. Despite a stellar cast, with Glenn Close, John Lithgow, Martha Plimpton and Lindsay Duncan, director Pam McKinnon fails to fine-tune the performances of these well-known actors, and the end result seems murky and scattershot, and that is a problem in a drama with such an ambiguous narrative.

Opened in 1966 with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, it was a huge letdown from Albee’s masterpiece Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Although it won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1967, many felt it was a consolation prize for Virginia Woolf not winning it, due to its course language and subject matter. In the ensuing years, it has become mind-numbing to think Virginia Woolf didn’t win, and A Delicate Balance did.

In 1996, Lincoln Center and its director, Gerald Gutierrez, did the definitive A Delicate Balance with Rosemary Harris as Agnes, George Grizzard as Tobias and Elaine Stritch doing a magnificent turn as Agnes’ alcoholic sister, Claire. A formidable cast giving sterling performances. Although the play itself is no earth shaker, those performances were indelible.

DEFINITIVE ‘DELICATE BALANCE’ REVIVAL: The late Elaine Stritch with George Grizzard in the 1996 Broadway production. Photo: Pinterest.com

Agnes and Tobias exist in their home with Claire, who lives with them. They all drink: Agnes to make semblance and order in her world and have control over things; Tobias to relax his jangled nerves; and Claire for the loss of never being married and having children and having to live with her sister. Although she drinks the most, she sees things the clearest.

On this particular Friday night, nothing much happens, everything is said in civility. Agnes claims she is losing her mind and lashes at Claire’s drinking, Tobias tries to smooth things over by being the genial bartender and Claire comes in to heckle Agnes and drink as much as she can. Agnes informs the others that their 36-year-old daughter, Julia, is leaving her fourth husband and returning home again. Just before the Act I curtain comes down, Edna and Harry enter, announcing that they are moving in because they are scared to be in their house, that something is terrifying them there.

Saturday starts with Julia whining that Edna and Harry are in her room and she wants it back. Edna and Harry have locked themselves upstairs in Julia’s room out of fear. The rest of the day is spent having the foursome figure out what to do with Edna and Harry. Sunday is the day of reckoning. Tobias has spent most of the night trying to figure out what would be the right thing to do. Agnes feels that a plague has descended on her house and Julia still wants her room back. All agree that Edna and Harry have to be told to get out. Edna and Harry descend, informing everyone they are moving back to their home. While left alone with Harry, Tobias has his breakdown and insists that Harry and Edna stay because of the duty of their 40-year friendship. Because of that friendship, they have earned the right to be there. When Tobias asks Harry “you would do the same for us, wouldn’t you?”, Tobias’ house of glass shatters at the response, having to face loneliness and disillusionment forever. In the end, as in Virginia Woolf, where George gives Martha the “buck up, tomorrow is another day” speech, in A Delicate Balance, it is Agnes who tells it to Tobias.

Although it has a stellar cast, this version doesn’t have the ensemble feel its predecessors had. Glenn Close as Agnes is stiff arched and enunciates each one of her words almost phonetically. Her trying to be in control of things and keeping things in balance feels contrived and calculated. No one can do stiff upper lip bon ami and then crumble into a groveling mass like John Lithgow can. His Tobias shamelessly grovels and begs.

The best part is Claire. As played by Elaine Stritch, the part was mesmerizing. Yes, she is a drunk, but first and foremost, she is a lady and, although robbed of her pride, she grabs on to any vestige of it. Lindsay Duncan, a wonderful British actress, gives Claire a more bohemian hanger-on attitude (I’m guessing this may have been a directorial choice) than the lady clinging on to her self-respect. Martha Plimpton as Julia is the best looking and sexiest Julia I’ve ever seen; she is controlled in most of her scenes, but can become pitchy, whiny and infantile in others. She clings to that room as someone wanting to go back to the safety of a womb, instead of growing up and trying to work out her marriages.

As Edna and Harry, Clare Higgins and Bob Balaban play the perfect dullards. They are the annoying and unwanted people that you are obligated to keep at least for a weekend but can’t wait to throw out 10 minutes after they arrive.

A Delicate Balance touches on a lot of heady subject matter but it never explains itself. It never explains what that fear is and it’s just inconceivable in any age that one allows people to just move into one’s home. Friendship, or not it doesn’t give the right for anyone to impose himself and herself on anyone else for any period of time without the consent of the owner. Pam MacKinnon fails to bring any focus to this dilemma. What should have been an ensemble piece that hurls a punch to the gut comes across as proficient actors attempting valiant individual performances.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published November 20, 2014
Reviewed at preview performance

The post ‘A Delicate Balance’ revival uneven appeared first on StageZine.