Carousel
Imperial Theatre
July 5, 2018
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| Photo courtesy of Carousel |
The
Broadway revival of Rogers and Hammerstein’s Carousel is beautifully done.
The choreography is brilliant.
The set design by Santo Loquasto pulls you into a different time and
place and blends the harsh realities in the story with the profound spiritual
tale that raises the stakes. The stellar
cast creates genuine moments in the sweeping pace the show requires. The ending is magic and true, emotional and
mystical.
Julie
Jordan (played by Jessie Mueller) goes to the carousel with her best friend
Carrie Pipperidge (played by Lindsay Mendez).
She catches the attentions of Billy Bigelow, the carousel barker (played
by Joshua Henry). They are magnetically
drawn to one another. Over time their
relationship develops both tenderly and aggressively. When Julie tells Billy she is going to have a
baby, he realizes he needs to step up as a provider. He joins his friend Jigger (played by Amar
Ramasar) in a plan to rob a local businessman.
The robbery goes awry and, unable to face Julie, Billy kills himself. He holds onto his aggressive demeanor in his
meeting with The Starkeeper (played by John Douglas Thompson) at the pearly gates. He is offered one visit to earth where he has
a chance to redeem himself by helping his daughter, Louise (played by Brittany
Pollack), who, at fifteen years old, is full of anger and resentment.
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| Jessie Mueller & Joshua Henry Photo courtesy of Carousel |
What
stands out in this revival is how the first act is superbly structured. Richard Rogers skillfully layers his music
throughout the three scenes, while Oscar Hammerstein’s lyrics simply and
succinctly tell the story in fluently sung dialogue. Amid this musical synchronicity, Richard Rogers’
music unexpectedly swells into a theme that draws you deeper into the emotional
life of the characters. Joshua Henry,
Jessie Mueller, and Lindsay Mendez exuberantly dive into these sections. Their voices ring magnificently, creating
truthful moments that draw you into the yearnings of their characters.
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| Lindsay Mendez Photo courtesy of Carousel |
The
ballet in the second act, where we meet Louise, is choreographer Justin Peck’s
finest storytelling. Louise’s character
is clearly revealed through gesture, timing, and variations in her physical
tension. Brittany Pollack takes hold of
all of these nuances and transports them into her scenes that follow the
ballet.
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| Photo courtesy of Carousel |
Director
Jack O’Brien focuses on the inner life of the characters in this
production. The story is in their
personal conflicts. His meticulous
casting in these roles allows for the underlying desires of the characters to
push the action of the play forward. The
ending makes sense on an emotional level, which is clear and intensely felt
through Richard Rogers score.
Domenick Danza
