Chicago Theatre Review
Ribald, Raunchy and Risque
Throbbin’ Wood
Back in 1883 American artist and author Howard Pyle wrote a book that became popular with children and adults alike. He entitled his episodic novel The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. It was compiled from dozens of medieval ballads about an outlaw who robbed from the rich to give to the poor. The English folk hero was said to have lived, along with his band of Merry Men, near Nottingham in Sherwood Forest. Each chapter of the book recounted a different adventure, such as how Little John defeated Robin in a wooden staff fight, how the portly Friar Tuck bested the outlaw and how Robin welcomed balladeer Allan a Dale, and the others, into his fold. While good King Richard the Lionhearted was away at the Crusades, Robin and his men fought against the evil Sheriff of Nottingham, who reined in terror and overtaxed the peasants. Eventually the King returned to his homeland, pardoned Robin of Loxley and gave his blessing for Robin’s marriage to his niece, Maid Marian.
Read MoreThe Marriage of Figaro still sings – 238 years after its first premiere.
Composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte, The Marriage of Figaro is considered one of the greatest operas ever written. It was inspired by a raunchy, political comedy by French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais. Filled with sex jokes, pratfalls, double takes and the “war between the sexes,” it defies what one thinks of, when one thinks of Opera. I certainly wasn’t expecting that many laughs.
This production of The Marriage of Figaro is directed by Barbara Gaines, founder and Artistic Director of the Tony Award-winning Chicago Shakespeare Theater for 37 years. Conductor Erina Yashima makes her Lyric debut. Together, they have steered this particularly female-led opera into the modern age, while not losing a note of what has kept it relevant for over two centuries.
The stage was designed with lavish minimalism. Set Designer James Noone created one set per act, each growing in opulence and elegance. The show opens in the bedroom of titular character Figaro (played by Bass Peter Kelner) and his Fiancée Susanna (Soprano Ying Fang). It’s covered in laundry and warm wooden panels. The next set is almost entirely the rich, ridiculously large bed of Countess Almaviva (Soprano Federica Lombardi). The third act is a room draped in chandeliers, and the fourth, a sculpture garden bathed in the dancing lights of a real pond, thanks to Emmy winning Lighting Designer Robert Wierzel. Costume Designer Susan Mickey created an opulent, fresh look for every character that honored the era they were created in and still placed this production squarely in 2024. Every cast member was dressed in bright, playful and richly colored and textured fabrics. I could almost feel the velvet, brocade and silk. That old movie ad, “Now in Technicolor!” kept ringing in my head.
The story itself is a silly one. Servants Figaro and Susanna succeed in getting married, foiling the efforts of their philandering employer Count Almaviva to seduce Susanna in an old tradition called “first night” when a Lord had the right to sleep with the bride of any of his servants (or subjects), and teaching him a lesson in fidelity. Figaro and Susanna have help from the Countess Almavira, who pines for her unfaithful husband. Their cause is complicated by amorous teenager Cherubino (Soprano Kayleigh Decker in the “Trouser” role, and a very convincing teenage boy), and by a plot of the count’s to marry Figaro off to an older woman, Marcellina (delightful Mezzo-Soprano Sarah Mesko). Various shenanigans ensue, largely driven by the women of the cast.
Yet, despite the silliness, the goofy characters and the bright colors, the music Mozart wrote over two centuries ago transcends it all. The entire cast sang impeccably, but even then, there were moments in the three-and-a-half-hour production when time seemed to stop. Kelner sets the tone with his rich Bass in Se Vuol Ballare. The duet in Act III, Sull’aria, between The Countess and Susanna, was achingly beautiful, Lombardi’s rich tones blended perfectly with Fang’s.
Ying Fang’s rendition of Deh! Vieni, non tardar was so consuming, so controlled, that during a phrase where she held a note just a few decibels above a whisper, there was an unexpected and emotional smattering of applause. The performance was a reminder that the best art is always a work of collaboration: the mood created by the set and light design was wonderfully blue, Ying Fang sang exquisitely, the orchestra supported her flawlessly, and Mozart’s music was (and is) perfect.
If you’ve ever wondered what the fuss is about when it comes to Opera, this is the production to see.
Highly Recommended
Reviewed by Alina C. Hevia
Presented at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Shows run from November 9 to 30, 2024. Tickets range from $42-$239. For more information and tickets, visit lyricopera.org/figaro or call 312.827.5600.
Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.
A Blizzard of Talent and Spectacle
Frozen
At the top of this gorgeous, jaw-dropping and heartwarming production, we meet two likable little girls. They’re sisters, growing up as princesses in the beautiful Scandinavian palace of Arendelle. Elsa, the eldest, learns as a child that she possesses the magical power to freeze people and objects, and to also create mountains of ice and snow. Anna, her lovingly devoted younger sister, is delighted by Elsa’s powers, but the magic proves to be dangerous when left uncontrolled. Their parents, the King and Queen, try to protect the two children by keeping this magic power a secret and making Elsa promise to wear gloves all the time. In this way, they try to prevent Elsa’s magic powers from accidentally causing anyone harm, but because kids will be kids, the parents can only control their children so much.
Read MoreA Sweet Candy Cane of a Musical
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
It’s beginning to look a whole lot like Christmas. I know, we just had Halloween and Thanksgiving is still a few weeks away! But buckle up Buttercup—there’s no getting around it. The holidays are fast approaching so get ready. And the Marriott Theatre has got a lovely, likable, energetic and sweet candy cane of a musical comedy that’s guaranteed to put theatergoers in the mistletoe mood.
Read MoreUnpack The Secrets
Leroy and Lucy
As the lights come up, we discover an attractive, young woman sitting on a bench, strumming a guitar and singing. It’s unclear where we are, but we know it’s late at night. Soon a handsome young man enters and finds himself captured by the radiance of the lovely lady and her music. The man carries with him a homemade guitar and a harmonica. The heat of the Mississippi Delta and the magic and mystery of the locale all lend a hand to Lucy and Leroy as they unpack the secrets that they’re initially reluctant to share.
Read MoreMeeting the Grim Reaper
Mercy Killing
Once upon a time there was a pretty young woman named Mercy. An amiable and skilled barista, Mercy’s known for her “killer coffee concoctions” at a popular San Francisco cafe. But she is also known around the Tenderloin district by her victims as the Secret Serial Killer around the Tenderloin district. One night, as Mercy is heading home from work, she chances upon a corpse lying near her bus stop. Suddenly another lovely young woman magically appears. She begins checking over the dead man’s vitals and entering the data into her cellphone.
Read MoreAdventure With a Capital A
Pericles
“PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE is among only three of Shakespeare’s plays that are labeled “romantic,” which was a synonym for “adventurous,” back in the day. And this production certainly is, with a capital A. Written around 1608, during Shakespeare’s latter, more prolific years, he created this play in the wake of some of his finest tragedies. Along with TWO NOBLE KINSMEN, the play wasn’t even originally included in Shakespeare’s First Folio, although it’s now accepted among his canon of 36 other plays. During the Bard’s own lifetime, PERICLES was one of the playwright’s most popularly produced plays, although many scholars believe that Shakespeare only composed the second half of it.
Read MoreThe Need For Love and Forgiveness
Bottle Fly
In Jacqueline Goldfiner’s latest play, Ruth and Penny are a recently coupled pair of lesbian lovers. They’ve traveled to Florida’s Everglades to start a business raising bees and selling their special honey. The couple is renting room and board above a ramshackle bar, owned by Rosie and her husband Cal, a hardworking offshore oil rig foreman. They are raising and caring for K, an emotionally disturbed young adult who Rosie and Cal found wandering alone through the swampland. K stutters and can barely speak; but in her beautiful alto, she croons classic love songs from the 30’s and 40’s. Goldfiner’s one-act drama is a sweet story about how we all have a similar need for love and forgiveness.
Read MoreDon’t Feed the Plant
Little Shop of Horrors
Audrey, Seymour, Orin, Mr. Mushnik and all the other crazy characters from this 1982 rock musical horror are back in Chicagoland. And just in time for Halloween, too! Based upon Roger Corman’s low-budget, darkly humorous sci-fi film from 1960, composer Alan Menken (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST,” SISTER ACT) and his longtime writing partner, the late, great playwright/lyricist Howard Ashman, initially created this cult classic for Off-Off-Broadway. But due to its popularity, the musical found its way to Off-Broadway, and then eventually made its way onto the Great White Way in 2003. The musical comedy was also adapted for the silver screen and became a popular 1986 film. A worldwide favorite, wherever and whenever this satirical Motown-style musical is produced, the show is alway a huge hit. Music Theater Works’ Fall production, presented with savvy staging and a topnotch cast by Kyle Dougan, is no exception. But the production does have a few problems.
Read MoreI Wish
Into the Woods
In stories, as in real life, everyone wishes for something better. Sometimes the wishes come true, but not without a cost. There’s always consequences for our actions and a price to pay. As each of us follow our chosen path to fulfill our wishes, we impact those around us. Because, as one of the most beautiful songs from this score reminds us, “No one is alone.” As each of the characters leaves his or her comfort zone and heads into the woods to make a wish come true, risks will be taken to achieve the goals. And after all that happens in this musical, because life goes on, we’re always looking ahead and hoping for something more. So at the end of the show, one of the characters expresses that eternal feeling, “I wish.”
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