BWW Reviews: EPAC's LA CAGE AUX FOLLES Plays Well But Feels Dated

In 1978, a small French-Italian film came out, directed by Eduard Molinaro, based on a play by Jean Poiret. When this author lived in Washington, DC in the early 1980's there was a party for the fifth anniversary of the movie, which was greatly beloved by the local gay community because of its story about a gay couple, one of whom was a drag performer. That little movie is nearly forgotten in this country now, having been eclipsed by the much larger THE BIRDCAGE, made here (but not made as well) with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, and by Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein's all-eclipsing Broadway hit of the same name of the original French play and movie, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES.

When LA CAGE came out on Broadway, to a community that wasn't familiar with gay couples and drag queens in 1983, it did a fine job, as has been said before, of making gay people palatable to retired ladies at matinees and to the bridge-and-tunnel crowds on weekends. Gay people were well-dressed club owners and adorable drag entertainers in St. Tropez, alienated by evil right-wing French politicians - how nice the couple was, and how awful that politician!

Times have changed. Same sex marriage is legal in the US, almost everyone knows they know someone gay, and anti-gay right-wing politicians are running for President this year, some of whom are being backed by people who think LA CAGE is a delightful show. Watching the show now, over 30 years after its first leg-kick on Broadway, it feels creaky, even though it's still topical as to evil right-wing politicians, and even though at heart it's a show about love and about family. It's gone from edgy to old musical warhorse.

Ephrata Performing Arts Center has done a great deal to try to breathe life back into the show, but it's still feeling its age. The Cagelles, the St. Tropez club's dancers, are, as always, a mix of drag males and women, and in opposition to the song lyrics, it's a little too easy to pick out who is which gender, although there's joy to be found in James Barksdale's performance as dominatrix/Cagelle Hannah, especially in "her" relationship with stage manager Francis (Jeff Fisher). There's even more joy to be found in Irving Gonzales' portrayal of butler Jacob, whose goal in life is to follow in the footsteps of his master, Albin - er, his mistress, ZaZa (Edward R. Fernandez), the star of the drag show, and be a drag star.

Dated, terribly dated, is the idea that Albin/ZaZa and partner George (Ken Seigh, in fine form) have a son, Jean-Michel (Sean Duffey) who thinks that he can get away with pretending that he has an average, straight family so that his possible in-laws, one of whom is anti-gay right-wing politician Dindon (Larry Gessler) won't think he's weird and awful. It was a bad and unlikely idea when the musical finally came out in 1983, though funnier in the 1970's when the original play was written. Now it's almost incomprehensible. While everyone, including Suzanne Delahunt as Dindon's wife Marie, and Elizabeth Pattey as ZaZa's friend and neighboring restaurateur Jacqueline, is performing admirably in their parts, and while many of the musical numbers, including "With Anne On My Arm/With You On My Arm" and "Masculinity" are marvelously sung and staged, the book is still struggling with a historical sea change in audience attitude towards the subject. Although "Masculinity" is wildly funny, who now, among those who would watch this show, thinks an effeminate gay male needs a crash course in testosterone, unless it's for acting class?

And while Sean Duffey portrays the callous Jean-Michel, who fortunately gets a lesson in parenting, with all his might, it's hard to restrain the urge just to tell his biological father, George, to slap the boy silly and throw him out the door for suggesting that ZaZa/Albin needs to hide when fiancée Anne's (Sydne Lyons) parents come to dinner. How dare George cooperate? These days anti-gay politicians just acknowledge the embarrassing gay relatives with a blush - or in Dick Cheney's case, right up front anyway.

The most beautiful of all the scenes in the show is undoubtedly the parent dinner at Chez Jacqueline, in which Albin is disguised as Jean-Michel's mother when Jacqueline lures her friend ZaZa into singing with her. The Best of Times" is a lovely song - although it really feels as if it's recycled from another show, somehow - and the staging of the dancing at dinner tables is beautifully arranged. Its beauty only enhances the comic "whoops" moment at the end of the scene.

Edward Fernandez, artistic director of EPAC, stepped out of his directing slot for Rich Repkoe to direct while he played ZaZa/Albin. Fernadez made ZaZa a thing of resplendent drag glamour, from evening gowns to slippers, to hair, and managed to make Albin's temporary appearance as "Uncle Al," trying to play straight and macho, feel like a relative from the Addams Family. Unfortunately, on opening night, his singing when playing ZaZa, performing at the club, felt a bit labored, which weakened the impact of the iconic "I Am What I Am," sung on stage at the club after discovering that his son wants him not to meet his fiancee's parents. Fortunately, Fernandez came through wonderfully in "The Best of Times". Albin/ZaZa is a part that seems made for an actor like Fernandez, but while ZaZa need not be a fabulous singer - the character is intended to be a waning diva - she needs more strength in her singing to bring forth her feelings.

Irving Gonzalez' choreography is lovely, as are Kate Willman's costumes. Music director Zach Smith and the pit band came through both for night club show scenes and domestic ones. The set is nicely designed, although given the shape of the EPAC stage, night club scenes feel slightly cramped. The show is worth it for music, dancing, and the acting here, but history makes this plot feel hopelessly outdated and hard to take.

Through August 8 at Ephrata Performing Arts Center. Visit ephrataperformingartsccenter.com for information.

To post a comment, you must register and login.