Date: Fri 19-Apr-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A-10

Quick Words:

theatre-Carousel-Shubert-rev

Full Text:

(rev "Carousel" at Shubert, 4/19/96)

Theatre Review-

Returned To Its Birthplace, Voices & Choreography Mark Carousel

By June April

NEW HAVEN - Staging and singing set the tone of the Carousel production, and a

memorable evening's entertainment. Celebrating its world premiere of 51 years

ago on the Shubert stage, this Royal National Theatre production has returned

Carousel to its birthplace, with a run through April 21. This production

excels in its choreography and voices.

A "dark" musical dealing with the inevitable fate of star-crossed lovers Julie

Jordan and Billy Bigelow, the music of Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II

still touches audiences profoundly, with melody and word.

The musical Prelude is excellent. Staged with a clock dominating the set and

eight young girls working like robots at a loom, the mood of the period -

1870s' industrial New England - is effectively sketched.

The music swiftly goes from somber to joyful: When the clock strikes 6, the

work day ends. The girls burst out of the dark textile mill and into the

promise of the early evening's fun. Before our eyes the fishing village and

fishermen almost magically appear.

As the girls weave their way through, laughing and teasing, the scene again

changes, this time to a side show. With spellbinding wizardry, a wonderful

carousel is assembled as the music plays.

After all this, the production begins. Before our eyes, the flavor of a

coastal village and the promise of youth and hope unravels.

This is a young production, testified to by the energy of the dances and

dancers. What the cast lacks in acting skills, it more than compensates for

with voices. Two characters, troublemaker Jigger Craigin (actor Brett Rickaby)

and Nettie Fowler (Rebecca Eichenberger), excel in their characterizations as

well as vocalizations.

The second half of the musical is outstanding, especially the dance sequence

of Billy and Julie's teenage daughter, Louise, with the Fairground Boy.

Choreographed by the late Kenneth MacMillan, former artistic director of the

Royal Ballet, Carousel was MacMillan's last project. He won a Tony for it.

Associate choreographer Jane Elliott prepared the dances for this national

tour. One is transfixed by the creativity of the choreography as well as the

beauty of the dance.

Sets and costumes by Bob Crowley bear witness to a skill and imagination

beyond the norm.

This production won five Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards when it

played Lincoln Center. It also gathered high acclaim in London.

Under the direction of Nicholas Hytner, it is clear this gentleman's

accomplishments around the world are in the tradition of the great directors

of all time.

Carousel is a timeless story, in the Shakespearian sense of classic and

universal. It is important to expose each generation to such outstanding

creators as Rogers and Hammerstein to experience the partnership of word and

music. Beyond pure entertainment, Carousel has something relevant to impart

about life val ues. It demonstrates the power and importance of theatre in

life.