New Girl in Town at Irish Rep

[skynyc]

Classic fare from 1957, this new production of the musical of O'Neill's Anna Christie is well-performed and easily recommended.

 

Still a question of "why did they musicalize this?" until you recall it was a vehicle for Gwen Verdon, and was her second outing with choreographer Bob Fosse. "We watched them fall in love." said the friend with whom I attended the show and who was in the original production.

 

The stage at the Irish Rep doesn't allow much room for Fosse-esque dancing, (or a cast of forty,) this tightened version has removed much of the dancing...and focused on the charming (if sophomoric) score, and the relationship between Anna and Matt. This was Bob Merrill's first Broadway score and there are some entertaining character numbers and one lovely ballad.

 

Margaret Loesser Robinson is pretty terrific as Anna, although she doesn't evoke Verdon at all. Her husky voice and bruised demeanor is so perfect for Anna. And the lyrics of the song "On the Farm" must have truly shocked musical-goers in the late fifties. Patrick Cummings is just delicious as the sailor Matt who falls for the "innocent" Anna. His clarion Irish Tenor is the highlight of the show in the number "Look at 'Er". (He's also VERY easy on the eyes.) Cliff Bemis who I recognize from many TV commercials was fine as Anna's sweet-drunk father, (very different from the characterization in the play,) and Danielle Ferland does nicely with Marthy, the old 'social lady', originated by Thelma Ritter. (Ritter and Verdon TIED for the the Tony for Best Actress that year.)

 

Director Charlotte Moore and choreographer Barry McNabb did terrific work and brought the most out of the seven-person Ensemble. Who all sing and move well.

 

I don't expect to ever see a production of "New Girl in Town" again, so I do recommend it, especially if you have a yen for the classics. I got my ticket on tdf for $30 and we had terrific seats. (Often tdf-ers are seated in the side section at IR, but this time we were on the side in the front.) The show runs under 2 hours with intermission and runs until 9/15.

[edjames]

I agree. If not for Verdon and Fosse, the original would not have fared so well. Verdon was fresh off her success in Damn Yankees and was the newest star on Broadway. Fosse was, well, genius.

 

Alas, this revival, as skynyc points out leaves the audience bewildered as to why they chose to revive this show. The small and cramped set at the Irish Rep does not provide for any choreography at all and it's been scaled back so far it's hard to imagine the original. The music, by prolific and popular composer of the day (How Much Is That Doggie In The Window), Bob Merrill has some nice moments but nothing really stands out. The cast is good but the story is just abysmal!

 

You're right skynyc, we won't see another revival of this for a very, very long time.

 

And, yes discounts available. Theater is so small, all seats are good.

 

ED