Wednesday, May 12, 2010

NO TENOR ACTUALLY NEEDED

There is barely a note of music in Ken Ludwig’s LEND ME A TENOR. What there is though is a terrifically funny script, an outstanding cast and truly sublime comedic direction. Accomplished director Stanley Tucci has a terrific vision, a deft hand, an eye and ear for the hilarious and the ability to turn the physical comedy of this show into what looks like a well choreographed ballet.

Tony Shalhoub sets the tone for the entire show with his opening monologue as the very nervous impresario, Saunders, awaiting the arrival of the famed tenor, Tito Morelli, played by veteran actor Anthony LaPaglia. You know exactly what is going to go wrong, there are almost no surprises. Well actually there is one surprise - Justin Bartha! Bartha, who is making his Broadway debut in LEND ME A TENOR, plays the very nervous, unsophisticated, would-be fiancĂ© of Saunders’ daughter, assistant to Saunders, etc. and he is totally entertaining.

LaPaglia’s entrance is highly staged as is his wife’s behavior but she is so well played by Jan Maxwell that you get lost in her pageboy and swish of fur. The actual physicality between the connected living room-bedroom that makes up the set is so beautifully timed that even though it is totally predictable it is also totally funny. We actually enjoyed every actor and thought each was ideally cast except for Mary Catherine Garrison who as the impresario’s daughter seems totally plastic and appeared as related to the Shaloub character as either of us is.

We didn’t learn anything new or answer any soul searching questions while watching LEND ME A TENOR but we were entertained. And isn’t that one of Broadway’s major jobs?

Next up: EVERYDAY RAPTURE

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