Bottom: Alex Brightman and Sophia Anne Caruso in Beetlejuice. Photo by Sara Krulwich.
Director Alex Timbers must be one of the luckiest guys on Broadway right now because he has two of the hottest shows on the Great White Way that are bringing in the crowds performance after performance, Moulin Rouge and Beetlejuice. They're both adapted from hit movies and both of them are worth the ticket price.
Let's begin by looking at Moulin Rouge (Rating: ***1/2), settled in for a long run at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Based on the iconic 2001 Baz Luhrmann film, this stage adaption stand tall on its own as a marvelous spectacle to behold. All this while not forgetting its roots to the movie of which it was based on. It even has the most poignant love story of the Broadway season so far.
Here's the plot of it, in case you forgotten: Christian (Aaron Tveit), a young composer from Ohio, comes to Paris in 1899 to make a fresh start for himself. He does that by teaming up with Toulouse (Sahr Ngaujah) and Santiago (Ricky Rojas) to create a musical. For their work to be produced, they go to the hottest spot in Paris that can make it possible, the Moulin Rouge. It is there that Christian sees and instantly falls in love with the cabaret's star, Santine (Karen Olivo), also known as the "Sparkling Diamond".
One problem: She's already promised to the Duke of Monroth (Tam Mutu), since he has loads of money to help save the club from financial ruin. Another problem: She's secretly dying of consumption. Nevertheless, Christian and Santine have a secret romance while hiding it from the Duke as they rehearse the show that will get the Rouge back on top. How it's going to end up? I wouldn't say it here, but it's best that you watch it for yourself.
Timbers really pulled out all the stops for this one, making it a thrilling sight for all senses, thanks to the sparkling sets, costumes and lighting design, provided respectively by Derek McLane, Catherine Zuber and Justin Townsend. Did I mention that this is a jukebox musical, like the movie itself? Music supervisor Justin Levine has compiled so many songs from singers such as Adele, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Talking Heads, Lady Gaga, Elton John and others to mash it into one rollicking playlist that's worth dancing in your seat to. One downside of the score is not hearing "One Day, I'll Fly Away", in which Nicole Kidman sung brilliantly in the film. Plus, the work of first-time Broadway choreographer Sonya Tayeh pays off well enough; especially at the start of the second act in which the cast delivers what I think is one of the best second half curtain raisers that I ever seen on a Broadway stage as they rehearse backstage.
The cast is top-notch, starting with Tevit and Olivo who makes a terrific stage couple. Danny Burnstein is wonderful as the club's owner, Zidler and Mutu succeeds in making his villainous Duke sinister without turning into a caricature. There's also fine work by Ngaujan, Rojas and Robyn Hurder, who plays Santine's castmate, Nini.
Now, on to Beetlejuice (Rating: ***), playing until June 6th at the Winter Garden Theatre. If you know the Tim Burton movie by heart, this musical comedy is faithful to its source and since it's now on stage, it adds some seasoning to make this into a spirited good time.
The Maitlands, Barbara and Adam (Kerry Butler and David Josefsberg) are a perfect, quiet couple enjoying their calm New England lifestyle in their vintage-setting house until they accidently drop through a broken floorboard, turning them into ghosts. Introducing them into life after death is the wild and crazy demon known as Beetlejuice (Alex Brightman, having lots of fun here). He tells the now-dead couple that if they want to keep the house to themselves, they must scare the new owners out of the house.
The new owners, the Deetzes, move in to make a fresh start after the loss of the wife/mother of the family. Only child Lydia (Presley Ryan at the performance that I attended) is dreaming that her late mom comes back despite having her father (understudy Sean Montgomery) bringing his girlfriend/potential stepmom (Leslie Kritzer) to live with them. Lydia suddenly sees the Maitlands and they make a plan to scare her family out of the house. It's only then that Beetlejuice comes to Lydia with a deal that will let her say his name three times so that he becomes visible to the world. From then on, hilarity ensues and the madcap fun keeps on coming.
The work here that Timbers made is alive and well, filled with colorful, dazzling visuals provided by its sets (David Korins), costumes (William Ivey Long) and lighting (Kenneth Posner). Eddie Perfect's score is decent enough and Scott Brown and Anthony King's book is fine here.
Brightman is a sure-fire comic delight as the "ghost with the most". The rest of the cast is first rate here with the likes of Ryan, Butler, Josefsberg and Kritzer, who by the way is a wonderful comedienne actress, to boot.
Whichever one of these shows that you pick, whether it is Rouge, which is a jukebox musical that works, or the dark but so funny Beetlejuice or even both, you just can't go wrong. For that, everybody wins.
Moulin Rouge is currently playing at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre for an open run. For tickets, go to ticketmaster.com, todaytix.com/x/nyc, stubhub.com or call 877-250-2929.
Beetlejuice is currently playing at the Winter Garden Theatre until June 6th. For tickets, go to telecharge.com, todaytix.com/x/nyc, stubhub.com or call 212-239-6200.
Comments
Post a Comment