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Dames At Sea
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This navy life would be grand, With some beautiful, luscious, lovely Dames at Sea! ---the company's title song |
Kathleen White as Ruby, Andy Meyers as Dick
(Photo: Gerry Goodstein)
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When the Cocteau Repertory's artistic director David Fuller decided to stage The Three Penny Opera, he had to make a big musical fit the Bouwerie Lane Theatre's physical constraints. With a big assist from his design team, Fuller's little big production held its own in a season of several other Three Penny revivals and, in fact, enjoyed a comeback summer run.
The Fall season has now opened with another musical Dames at Sea. It seemed like a particularly apt choice as it was intended as an intimate production and has a historic link to the theater's earliest days. Dames first docked at the Bouwerie Lane in 1969 and proved that small scale musicals with unknown performers could be big hits. To add to its timeliness: We are once again at war and eager for escape entertainment . . . and Forty-Second Street , which is one of the extravaganzas Dames at Sea spoofs, continues its must successful revival in the theater district. Unfortunately, director Fuller and his Dames and their guys have not landed as smoothly as the original production.
17-year-old Bernadette Peters as the original Ruby, with David Christmas
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Since that initial triumphant Cocteau-deLys run (575 performances) Dames at Sea has sailed on to many regional, dinner and community theater productions. While I can't think of a Ruby who's achieved Bernadette's super stardom, many talented young performers have played the role she created with enough sass and style to build the show's following. The same can be said for the actors portraying the other characters. Which brings us to the main reason the Cocteau's revival falls short of being the delightful breath of nostalgia it should be.
Kathleen White is an appealingly naive and enthusiastic Ruby but her tapping and singing are hardly the stuff to make her a convincing Utah version of Forty-Second Street's Peggy Sawyer. Energy and enthusiasm is also the only thing to praise in the other five actors. All manage to sing off key often enough to diminish even such lovely tunes as "It's You", "The Sailor of My Dreams" and "The Beguine." Judith Jarosz is a major miscast as the overbearing Mona. Chrytsten Peddie's brash showgirl, Joan, is more shrill than brash. The men simply don't make strong impressions. The tap routines are underwhelming and coarsely executed.
The good news about this bad news is that traces of the clever book and songs are evident despite the limitations of the performers, most thanks to the excellent work of the design team. Roman Tatarowicz manages to provide suitable scenery for the back stage action as well as the Anything Goes style shipboard setting of the second act. Joanne Haas's authentic costumes and Giles Hoyga's lighting contribute towards making the two amusing production numbers "Singapore Sue" and "Raining in My Heart" fun.
Parody can be difficult to bring off. The concept of six unknown actors doing a take-off on a whole genre of musicals associated with big, glitzy sets and a large, star-studded cast takes a delicate directorial touch and actors who make you feel that they could indeed be tomorrow's stars. Too bad, Fuller's direction lacks the necessary subtlety and his actors that sense of possibility. I should add to my negative nattering that I've liked many of the young actors this artistic director has brought into the company, and I wouldn't be surprised if one of these days his ambitions for the Cocteau will result in another star being born on this venerable old theater's stage.
LINKS
Review of the Cocteau's ThreePenny Opera
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DAMES AT SEA Book & lyrics: George Haimsohn and Robin Miller Music: Jim Wise Directed by David Fuller Music Director: Matt Castle Choreographer: Barbara Brandt Cast: Campbell Bridges, Judith Jarosz, Andy Meyers, Chrysten Peddie, Joey Stocks, and Kathleen White. Set Design: Roman Tatarowicz Costume Design: Joanne Haas Lighting Design: Giles Hogya Running time: 2 hours with one intermission Jean Cocteau Repertory, Bouwerie Lane Theatre, 330 Bowery, on the corner of Bond Street (also known as East 2nd Street), two blocks north of Houston Street and two blocks east of Broadway, 212/677-0060 9/03/04 to 11/28/04; opening 9/12/04. Wed @7pm, Thurs to Sat @8pm, Sun @3pm. In October, Dames at Sea> will be playing in repertory with Romeo and Juliet --for dates, see www.jeancocteaurep.org Reviewed by Elyse Sommer based on 9/10 pressperformance |
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Musical Numbers
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Act One
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Act Two
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Retold by Tina Packer of Shakespeare & Co.
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Our Review
Mendes at the Donmar
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Ridiculous!The Theatrical Life & Times of Charles Ludlam
6, 500 Comparative Phrases including 800 Shakespearean Metaphors by CurtainUp's editor.
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