SpeakEasy's 'Nine' Is Delizioso

Book by Arthur Kopit; music and lyrics by Maury Yeston; adaptation from the Italian by Mario Fratti; directed by Paul Daigneault; musical direction by Nicholas James Connell; choreography by David Connolly; scenic design by Eric Levenson; costume design by Charles Schoonmaker; lighting design by Jeff Adelberg; projection design by Seaghan McKay; sound design by Aaron Mack

Cast in order of appearance:

Guido Contini, Timothy John Smith; Luisa, Aimee Doherty; Carla, McCaela Donovan; Guido's Mother, Cheryl McMahon; Stephanie Necrophorus, Amy Jackson; Liliane LaFleur, Maureen Keiller; Diana/Ilse Von Hesse, Brittney Morello; Maria/A Venetian Gondelier, Julia Broder; Lina Darling, Santina Umbach; Sarraghina, Kerry A. Dowling; Mama Maddelena, Shana Dirik; Annabella/Heidi Von Sturm, Rachel Prather; Giulietta/Ogla Von Sturm, Celia Hottenstein; Renata/Gretchen Von Krupf, Holly King; Claudia, Jennifer Ellis; Our Lady of the Spa, Kami Rushell Smith; Little Guido, Erik March and Andrew Stewart

Performances: Now through February 26, Roberts Studio Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont Street, Boston

Tickets: $47-$57 ($25 for people under 25); $14 student rush with valid college ID, available at the Box Office one hour before curtain, subject to availability. Phone 617-933-8600 or visit www.BostonTheatreScene.com.

The key to making "Nine," the elegant yet earthy musical adaption of Federico Fellini's autobiographical film reverie "8 ½," work is in striking the delicate balance between central character Guido Contini's narcissistic self-absorption relative to women and art and the boyish vulnerability that fuels his irresistible charms. Happily, Boston's SpeakEasy Stage production, currently enjoying an extended run through Saturday, February 26, walks that elusive tightrope with effortless aplomb.

Director Paul Daigneault, who ranks "Nine" as his all-time favorite musical, teases every subtle nuance out of Arthur Kopit and Maury Yeston's intricately layered story of the brilliant but perpetually adolescent movie maker whose approaching 40th birthday catapults him into a creative and emotional crisis. Just as the anxious Guido impulsively shifts his perspective from reality to fantasy when trying to appease the various women in his life and deal with conflicting demands, Daigneault shifts his ensemble, lighting, sound, and screen projections to take us from the here and now to inside Guido's fertile and hyperactive mind. The result is a stunning visual and emotional feast whose scenes transition as smoothly as if changed by cinematic fades and wipes.

In "Nine," writer/director/actor Guido (the perfectly lovable lout of Timothy John Smith) finds it almost impossible to separate fact from fiction when women both real and imagined intrude upon his efforts to write his next movie. Under the gun to come up with a script by the end of the week - and under pressure to choose between his wife, mistress and muse - Guido seeks refuge at a popular Venice spa. There he comes face to face with himself as a child of nine (a poised and talented Erik March in the reviewed performance, Andrew Stewart alternately) and all the women who have influenced him, then and now. Mother, Nun, Prostitute, Wife, Lover, Dominatrix, and Goddess - all are embodied in one form or another in the mind of this endearing man/child. Guided by his younger self, he relives his relationships with each of them. Finally gaining the proper perspective, he is able at last to move on with his life.

As Guido Smith anchors this excellent production, combining exuberance, charm, passion, and an obvious lust for life. You believe that his love for women is genuine and that his artistic vision is genius. Despite his serial philandering, he convinces that he is rueful. Despite his irreverent film-making, he expresses sincere respect for the Church and his Catholic upbringing. Above all Smith's Guido is likable. Therefore the adoration - and mothering - he enjoys from a host of exceptional women is completely believable.

The female cast charged with alternately coddling and challenging Guido is every bit as delicious as Smith is. They are breathtaking when singing together as an ensemble but also powerful when taking solo turns. Aimee Doherty as the much put upon wife Luisa is a tower of aching loyalty, trying to stand firm on uncertain ground. Her "My Husband Makes Movies" is as much a testament to her admiration of Guido as it is of her sadness at not being the only love of his life. By contrast, McCaela Donovan as the mistress Carla wears her heart on her sleeve. Mischievous and sexy, her "A Call from the Vatican" is funny and intoxicating.

Guido's inspirational actress and former lover Claudia is played with cool elegance by Jennifer Ellis. She brings a quiet dignity and haunting irony to the lovely "Unusual Way." Maureen Keiller as overbearing producer Liliane LaFleur is almost frightening when pushing Guido to meet his deadline, but she lets loose with a ribald can-can in the fantasy number "Folies Bergeres." As Guido's no-nonsense mother, the always delightful Cheryl McMahon is both comical and compassionate. Kerry A. Dowling as the prostitute Sarraghina is joyously lusty. She invigorates "Ti Voglio Bene/Be Italian" with an infectious spirit that turns the big production number into a certifiable showstopper.

Music director Nicholas James Connell and his seven-piece band bring great vitality to Maury Yeston's rich and evocative score. Ensemble choral work is also beautifully rendered, suggesting sounds as solemn as a church choir or as lively as a tarantella. Eric Levenson's unit set is an imaginative array of granite arches which expose a white backdrop upon which Seaghan McKay's visual designs are projected. Together they transform the setting from seaside spa to church to catacombs. A bird bath recessed center stage becomes a working fountain, the ocean, and a Baptismal font.

Lighting by Jeff Adelberg and sound by Aaron Mack make the transitions from reality to fantasy appear seamless. Costumes by Charles Schoonmaker paint a magnificent cinematic picture in dazzling shades of black and white, evoking the elegant style of Christian Dior worn by stars like Audrey Hepburn or Sophia Loren.

This "Nine" is a tasty treat featuring impeccable direction and performances. Forget the dreadful 2009 movie version that sucked all the life out the musical. This SpeakEasy production is a celebration.

PHOTOS BY CRAIG BAILEY: Jennifer Ellis as Claudia and Timothy John Smith as Guido; Aimee Doherty as Luisa; Timothy John Smith, Erik March as Little Guido, and Kerry A. Dowling as Sarraghina

 

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.