When Charles Dickens died in 1870, he didn't finish his novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. But he didn't know that his unfinished book would be a musical, so that the audience would pick the ending. He even didn't expect that the show would be fun.
Alas, there is a lot of fun in the revival of the 1986 Tony-winning musical Drood at the Roundabout Theatre Company at Studio 54, that you really can't help but enjoy it. Director Scott Ellis makes this enchanting and giddy production run with a fast paced and nutty mixture of the 19th century Victorian England music hall and many of those Looney Tunes/Jay Ward cartoons.
Taking place in 1895, a troupe of performers at London's Music Hall Royale perform the novel. The main plot involves Edwin Drood's {Stephanie J. Block, playing a male impersonator} engagement with orphan Rosa Bud {Besty Wolfe, of Everyday Rapture fame}. But Drood's uncle, Jasper {Will Chase, best known from NBC's Smash} wants Rosa for himself and Drood to be dead. Soon, on Christmas Eve, after having dinner with family and friends, Drood is then missing and presumed to be dead.
In the second act, when the story becomes unfinished, the audience gets in on the action, choosing the murderer, a detective in disguise, and lovers to help give it a happy ending. Also getting involved in this story is a brother-sister team from Ceylon, a opium den mistress and a harried guy in a graveyard.
Actor George C. Scott once said "Is there joy in a performance?" Well, there is pure joy in this splendid ensemble. Here are some of the members worth talking about. After wowing hearts in the Tony-winning revival of Anything Goes, Block is a thrilling master of disguise as Drood and her real role, Alice Nutting. She is fine in the first act, but delivers a hilarious portrayal worthy of a diva in the second act. Chase shines brightly as the madly villainous Jasper and as Rosa, Wolfe delivers a chilling rendition of "Moonfall". As opium madam, the very funny Princess Puffer, Broadway vet and acting great Chita Rivera proves at age 80 that she can still score with an audience. Jim Norton, Jessie Muller and Andy Karl are all wonderful, respectively, as the story's chairman and the Landless siblings.
Rupert Holmes's tony-winning score is filled with witty lyrics and has a half-somber and half-joyful spirit. Among the best songs in the score are the spine-tingling "Moonfall", the Gilbert-Sullivan like "Both Sides of the Coin" and the charming "Don't Quit While You're Ahead." The book, also written by Holmes, is funny and hip.
Warren Carlyle's choreography is delightful, especially with a opium dream sequence involving Jasper and his obsession with Rosa Bud.
Anna Louizos's sets and Brian Nason's lighting help give the show a superb 19th century music hall touch. Plus, William Ivey Long's costumes are colorful and delectable with perfect flair. I'm hoping that Long receives his sixth Tony award for the costumes in June.
All in all, this is a jolly good time. This is really a show that's invented with the word, "fun", in mind. If you're looking for something to get rid of those wintertime blues, Drood is one daffy antidote.
Rating: ***
Parent's Advisory: Despite a little foul language and a bit of adult behavior in the dream sequence, this is suitable for ages 8 and up.
The Mystery of Edwin Drood is playing at Roundabout Theatre Company at Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street through March 10th. For tickets, go to roundabouttheatre.org or call 212-719-1300.
Alas, there is a lot of fun in the revival of the 1986 Tony-winning musical Drood at the Roundabout Theatre Company at Studio 54, that you really can't help but enjoy it. Director Scott Ellis makes this enchanting and giddy production run with a fast paced and nutty mixture of the 19th century Victorian England music hall and many of those Looney Tunes/Jay Ward cartoons.
Taking place in 1895, a troupe of performers at London's Music Hall Royale perform the novel. The main plot involves Edwin Drood's {Stephanie J. Block, playing a male impersonator} engagement with orphan Rosa Bud {Besty Wolfe, of Everyday Rapture fame}. But Drood's uncle, Jasper {Will Chase, best known from NBC's Smash} wants Rosa for himself and Drood to be dead. Soon, on Christmas Eve, after having dinner with family and friends, Drood is then missing and presumed to be dead.
In the second act, when the story becomes unfinished, the audience gets in on the action, choosing the murderer, a detective in disguise, and lovers to help give it a happy ending. Also getting involved in this story is a brother-sister team from Ceylon, a opium den mistress and a harried guy in a graveyard.
Actor George C. Scott once said "Is there joy in a performance?" Well, there is pure joy in this splendid ensemble. Here are some of the members worth talking about. After wowing hearts in the Tony-winning revival of Anything Goes, Block is a thrilling master of disguise as Drood and her real role, Alice Nutting. She is fine in the first act, but delivers a hilarious portrayal worthy of a diva in the second act. Chase shines brightly as the madly villainous Jasper and as Rosa, Wolfe delivers a chilling rendition of "Moonfall". As opium madam, the very funny Princess Puffer, Broadway vet and acting great Chita Rivera proves at age 80 that she can still score with an audience. Jim Norton, Jessie Muller and Andy Karl are all wonderful, respectively, as the story's chairman and the Landless siblings.
Rupert Holmes's tony-winning score is filled with witty lyrics and has a half-somber and half-joyful spirit. Among the best songs in the score are the spine-tingling "Moonfall", the Gilbert-Sullivan like "Both Sides of the Coin" and the charming "Don't Quit While You're Ahead." The book, also written by Holmes, is funny and hip.
Warren Carlyle's choreography is delightful, especially with a opium dream sequence involving Jasper and his obsession with Rosa Bud.
Anna Louizos's sets and Brian Nason's lighting help give the show a superb 19th century music hall touch. Plus, William Ivey Long's costumes are colorful and delectable with perfect flair. I'm hoping that Long receives his sixth Tony award for the costumes in June.
All in all, this is a jolly good time. This is really a show that's invented with the word, "fun", in mind. If you're looking for something to get rid of those wintertime blues, Drood is one daffy antidote.
Rating: ***
Parent's Advisory: Despite a little foul language and a bit of adult behavior in the dream sequence, this is suitable for ages 8 and up.
The Mystery of Edwin Drood is playing at Roundabout Theatre Company at Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street through March 10th. For tickets, go to roundabouttheatre.org or call 212-719-1300.
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