Romance continues to bloom on Broadway. The latest evidence of this is The Bridges of Madison County at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. Gripping, haunting and bittersweet, this is the most heartfelt and romantic musical to hit Broadway in years since Stephen Sondheim's Passion (1994) and Craig Lucas & Adam Guettel's The Light in the Piazza (2005).
Based on the best-selling book and the 1995 film starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep, this takes place over four days in 1965 Iowa when Italian born housewife Francesca (Kelli O'Hara) stays home while her American husband Bud (Hunter Foster) and their kids, Carolyn (Caitlin Kinnunen) and Michael (Derek Klena) go to enter their cow in an Indiana State Fair. Soon, Francesca meets a National Geographic photographer named Robert Kincaid (Steven Pasquale); stopping by the house looking for directions for a bridge he's taking photos of for the magazine. On the first day, they start out as friends, but by the second day, they become lovers. Soon, when Robert asks Francesca to run away with him, she faces a big dilemma: leaving with a man she finds new life with or staying to take care of her family.
To be honest, I haven't read the book and saw little of the film, but I'm happy to report that this musical stands well on its own. Director Bartlett Sher gives the show a splendid, intimate staging thanks to Donald Holder's marvelous lighting and Michael Yeargan's rich, small scenic design. It proves that a show can handle well on its own without being bombarded by big-budget and expensive sets.
Jason Robert Brown's pure-Americana score is rapturous, with a mix of county, R&B, gospel, Italian and Joni Mitchell-like folk. Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman's script hits all of the right emotions without manipulating the audience. She also added flashbacks and a look into the future that help enhance the story. I even became emotional when Robert shows Francesca her birthplace of Naples in the aftermath of the second World War. It was my favorite scene that hit a high point for me in the show.
O'Hara and Pasquale both disappear quickly into their characters and emerge into Francesca and Robert before our eyes. Seeing the sparks fly between them is like attending a pure master class in couples acting. Speaking of O'Hara, this is the third show she worked with Sher (before this was the South Pacific revival (2008) and previous mentioned Piazza), and judging by the work between them, they make a great actor-director partnership that recalls one of Martin Scorsese & Leonardo Dicaprio, Denzel Washington & Spike Lee and Frances McDormand & the Coen brothers. The supporting cast work well with the likes of Foster, Klena, Kinnunen and a very funny Cass Morgan as Marge, Francesca's neighbor.
It all adds up to a show that makes us believe in the joy and beauty of romance. If this one closes after the Tony awards or in the wind-down of summer, there isn't justice in the theatre world.
Rating:***1/2
Parent Advisory: Suitable for ages 17 and over. Contains sexual situations.
The Bridges of Madison County is playing at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on 236 West 45th Street (between Broadway and 8th Avenue) for a open-ended run. For tickets, go to telecharge.com or call 212-239-6200.
Comments
Post a Comment