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Disclaimer:
The reviewers' opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheatreLouisville.org. |
Peer Reviews Mame Reviewed by Sherry Deatrick Entire contents are copyright © 2009 Sherry Deatrick. All rights reserved.
What I thought was opening night turned out to be a preview, described as a "final dress rehearsal" by Artistic Director Peter Holloway. Accordingly, any criticism of this show would be unfair. Oddly, neither the print ads nor the website mentioned that June 26 was a "preview." EDIT: I understand now why the ads did not mention June 26 as a preview. I mixed up my dates and attended on the wrong night. Accordingly, another review of this production from a new reviewer will appear soon. They say you'll always remember where you were when you heard the news about Michael Jackson's death. I heard about it just before leaving the house to go to the theater. The King of Pop is now inextricably intertwined in my mind with Mame. When you think about it, he had a lot in common with Mame. They were both wealthy, but lost their fortunes. Both doted on children and loved to spoil them. Perhaps my connections are tenuous and ludicrous, but somehow I couldn't help thinking of Jackson all through the show. Music Theatre Louisville, formerly known as Broadway at Iroquois, has taken its old name back and packed up its bags to relocate to the Kentucky Center's Bomhard Theatre. The comforts of air conditioning and cushioned seats far outweigh the inconvenience of trying to find a free parking space and climbing the steps to the Bomhard. And I'm sure the cast and crew don't miss sweating under the spotlights in Louisville's oppressive summer heat. And don't worry, the Ehrler's ice cream cones you once enjoyed at Iroquois Amphitheatre have followed along to the Kentucky Center. You can even bring food and drink into the theater during the show, to maintain that festive feeling. A huge staircase dominates the set, surrounded by what seemed to be three giant picture frames staggered toward the vanishing point. The lights fell in shaded patches, like the sun through the trees, making Mame's living room feel homey. In the opening scene, the rich young recently-orphaned Patrick (Matthew Zolla) and his charge, Agnes Gooch (Kristy Calman), arrive in New York City, as the big city lights descend upon them menacingly. They soon find Beekman Place, where Patrick's Auntie Mame (Melissa Combs) is presiding over a sparkling Bohemian cocktail party in the Prohibition era. Mame's "housemate," Vera (Gayle King) falls onto the fainting couch after meeting Patrick, clutching her martini glass to her lips for the rest of the scene. Mame spans several decades, and this time lapse is shown by the changing art work hung by the staircase, ending with a painting in the style of Jackson Pollock (hmm another Jackson reference). High points in the show are the play-within-the play with Vera as the lady astronomer who reveals that the Man in the Moon is a Miss in "The Moon Song." Wearing a tiara of planets and waving a rolled-up tube as her telescope, King is a master of comic timing and delivery while shooing away the gaggle of ballet dancers singing around her and angrily giving second and third cues for Mame (Lady Moon) to descend the stairs. "My Best Girl" is sure to bring a tear as we see the tenderness between Mame and her nephew. Zolla's and Combs's voices are fine complements to each other. Combs will make you wish you had your own Auntie Mame, who preaches that we must live every day to the fullest, open every new window (except when she has a hangover), and thumb our noses at conservatives. Her smoky voice, with its slight vibrato, is like a crackling fire on a cold evening. She's as perfectly suited to singing heartfelt ballads like "If He Walked Into My Life" as Edith Piaf would be. Combs began her theatrical career at age 4, and has starred in the film The Congress of Wonders. She worked with Marty Robbins, her music business mentor, for five years. You know you can't lose when John Leffert, of JCC's CenterStage, directs a show he loves (and he loves a lot of shows), in tandem with the fantastic choreographer, Sandy Simpson. This show is no exception. The dancers moved like ocean waves, fluidly and effortlessly, during the title song. You will be carried away contentedly by this current, which kicks into high tide when the cheerful "whoo's" begin. The eye-popping acrobatics reminded me of Simpson's splendid choreography in CentreStage's La Cage aux Folles. And of course, it goes without saying that you can't lose with Jerry Herman's uplifting music and lyrics. Like Hello, Dolly!, this show features a strong woman who overcomes adversity while delivering a positive message of hope just when we need it. (Interestingly, Ernie Adams played the rich male husband-rewards of both Dolly and Mame in MTL's productions of these shows.) As Mame says, "Life is a banquet, and most poor bastards are starving to death." So "tune the grand up, dance your shoes off, strike the band up – it's today!"
Featuring Melissa Combs, Gayle King, Erie Adams, Kristy Calman, Matthew Zolla, and August Pickerill. Musical Director – Craig M. Swatt
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