United States Love Really Stay (after the film by Richard Curtis, tailored by Anderson Davis): The Wallis Annenberg Middle for the Performing Arts, Beverly Hills, 17.12.2023. (JRo)
True to its declare of being a ‘multimedia live performance celebration’ and a ‘theatrical cinematic expertise’, Love Really Stay plunges headlong into the expertise of the movie, leaving narrative coherence behind. For followers of the movie (and I’m one) who’re aware of the characters, overarching theme and subplots, the jukebox musical reads as a sequence of vignettes celebrating Richard Curtis’s film. Nonetheless, you probably have not seen the movie two or thrice, there isn’t any telling what to make of the onstage shenanigans since there isn’t any story to comply with.
Reasonably than projecting the movie in its entirety and continuing with the assembled fifteen-piece orchestra and onstage singers, the manufacturing selects moments within the movie to reinforce with dwell efficiency, both mimicking the movie clip or complementing it.
Anderson Davis, who tailored and directed the piece, has created a manufacturing that pulls crowds in the course of the vacation season, in no small half because of the celebratory environment onstage. Video projection and a good-looking set evoking a London cityscape set the scene for a forged of enthusiastic actors, every one resembling his or her cinematic counterpart.
The manufacturing has develop into a seasonal staple at The Wallis, drawing crowds 12 months after 12 months, and I can’t deny its festive spirit. Actors pour down the aisles celebrating the marriage scene, and Aurelia, the Portuguese home cleaner, disrobes and mimes a leap into the river. The workplace Christmas get together is reenacted, and the tune, ‘Christmas is All Round’, is a laugh-out-loud spotlight, because it was within the movie. Sadly, the whole lot feels a bit frantic and compelled.
Invoice Nighy was unforgettable within the film as Billy Mack. Rex Smith, the well-known pop star and actor, who was memorable again within the eighties within the stage and display screen manufacturing of The Pirates of Penzance (together with Kevin Kline and Linda Ronstadt), was an ideal alternative for the position. He introduced the identical exhausted vitality and charisma to the character. Additionally as much as the duty was Austin Lesch because the Prime Minister, David. His voice and stage presence approximated Hugh Grant’s allure.
What was lacking was involvement within the lives of the characters that actual drama and comedy can engender. Nonetheless, for the Love Really obsessed, if it’s a revue you might be after with a dose of vacation spirit, that is the present for you. For all others, sweeten your season with a manufacturing of The Nutcracker.
Jane Rosenberg
Manufacturing:
Director – Anderson Davis
Music director and Conductor – David Lee
Units – Matt Steinbrenner
Video – Aaron Rhyne
Costumes – Steve Mazurek
Lighting – Michael Berger
Sound – Brian Hsieh and Mike Tracey
Choreography – Sumié Maeda
Solid:
Karen – Tomasina Abate
Joanna – Madison Taylor Baez
Mark – James Byous
John – Chris Cockrill
Natalie – Grace Kinstler
Harry – Doug Kreeger
David – Austin Lesch
Sarah – Ruby Lewis
Daniel – Chris Mann
Judy – Jordan Ann Martone
Peter – Brian McKnight, Jr.
Aurelia – Nina Nelson
Collin – Spencer Schaffer
Jamie – Drew Seeley
Billy Mack – Rex Smith
Sam – Alkaio Thiele
Juliet/Mia – Cheyenne Isabel Wells
