Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812

Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812

Imperial Theatre

August 2, 2017

 

Photo courtesy of Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812

Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 is a Broadway show like no other!  The entire theatre is the set and the audience is totally submerged in the action of the play.  The orchestra is spilt into four different locations and musicians move throughout the theatre.  The concept and design are brilliantly conceived and superbly accomplished, giving every audience member, no matter where they sit, a visceral, engaging and memorable experience.

The story comes from a seventy page section of Leo Tolstoy’s War & Peace.  Natasha (played by Denee Benton) is betrothed to Andrey (played by Nicholas Belton).  When he goes off to war, she and her cousin, Sonya (played by Ingrid Michaelson), stay in Moscow with her Godmother, Marya (played by Grace McLean).  While at the opera, Natasha catches the eye of Anatole (played by Lucas Steele).  They fall in love, risking Natasha’s reputation.  It is after consolation with family friend Pierre (played by Okeiriete Onaodowan) that she regains her self-assurance. 

Denee Benton & Lucas Steele
Photo courtesy of Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812
 

The music, lyrics, book, and orchestrations are all by Dave Malloy, and are pure genius.  He tells this story with bold, fiery passion, developing strong and true characters who, since it is Russia in 1812, are highly dramatic.  At the end, he takes you to a quiet and touching meeting between Natasha and Pierre that leads to a deep emotional catharsis in the shadow of the great comet.  Denee Benton and Okeiriete Onaodowan deliver the honesty and tranquility needed in this final moment, after two and a half hours of heightened exuberance.

Ingrid Michaelson as Sonya
Photo courtesy of Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812

The show has no spoken lines and a number of arias that stand out.  Denee Benton’s rendition of “No One Else” sets up the inner life of her character.  Ingrid Michaelson’s solo in Act II, “Sonya Alone,” is flawlessly performed, filled with compassion and tenderness.  “Charming” sets up the character of Helen, Pierre’s wife, as cunning and untrustworthy.  Amber Grey stands out in her portrayal of this character playing every layer of subtext from subtle to palpable.  Okeiriete Onaodowan delivers “Dust and Ashes” with a keen insight into the yearning of Pierre’s soul that connects all the action to the final moment of the story.

Lukas Steele is fantastic as Anatole.  Every one of his entrances grabs attention.  He is charismatic and beguiling.  Another stand out performance is Grace McLean as Marya.  She is warm and welcoming in Act I, then explosive when she feels betrayed by Natasha in Act II.  These are two strong and absrobing performances.

Photo courtesy of
Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812

Mimi Lien and Bradley King well deserve the Tony Awards they received for set design and lighting design.  Together with sound design by Nicholas Pope, they transcend any pre-conceived notion of environmental theatre.  They transport the audience into a space filled with heightened emotion and vivid imagination.  Director Rachel Chavkin’s vision and collaborative mastery create an intimate experience for a very large Broadway audience.    

Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 is playing at the Imperial Theatre.  Be sure to see it!

Domenick Danza