BWW Reviews: I DO! I DO! Did, in the Right Way, at Theatre Harrisburg

I DO! I DO! is one of those small gem musicals. While it would seem to be an easy choice for a theatre as it's a small musical, with only two in the cast and no need for a large orchestra - piano will indeed do nicely here, as it won't with most musicals - it's deceptively tricky, sung almost all the way through by a couple who need both great voices and great chemistry. And any flaws in performance will show; that's guaranteed. The cast in the show perform under a microscope; small wonder that the original Broadway cast was Mary Martin and Robert Preston. The original had more than that, though; it was directed and choreographed by Gower Champion, another great.

But it doesn't need names to work; what it needs is warmth, sincerity, and some fine singing, and a director who can keep the pacing and the intimacy needed to make the gem shine. Tom Jones (the one who wrote THE FANTASTICKS, thank you, not the other one) and Harvey Schmidt gave us a tiny slice of very real life, and a director who can keep the show small enough to highlight the reality of it rather than going over the top with its dramatic and comic moments is key to its success. Kudos to Joan Derricks Kraft for, indeed, "keeping it real."

Kudos also to real-life couple Rick Stevens and Debbie Smith for a very real Michael and Agnes. At least one production of this musical has led its cast to coupledom (that particular production, a professional one, ran for over 20 years with the same couple, who wed during its run), but this production starts with it. It's also evident that they've performed alongside each other before.

The story of Michael and Agnes, married before World War One and with their tale continuing through World War Two, needs no updating to be relevant. While technology, fashions, and overt sexuality have changed, the incidents that make up a relationship will, unless humanity completely allows texting to take over real-time activity, not be likely to change. Mothers foisting unwanted sentimental gifts on their children, drinking too much of an evening, arguing over children, affairs, creeping disinterest, working to keep things together - these are the daily fare of human relationships, and I DO! I DO! spares no moment, from wanting to break up to relief at seeing the kids married, from loving examination. It's probable that everyone in the audience will find at least one of those moments familiar; most will identify with several of them. Although the show is deeply rooted in period gender roles, taking it with a grain of salt only makes this sort of thing funnier.

Many shows have only one set; in the case of I DO! I DO! it's a bedroom with a four-poster bed. That's not surprising, given its basis in Jan de Hartog's play THE FOUR-POSTER), but it's also key to the whole story; the marital bedroom is the home of not only marital bliss but marital discord, arguments about little but urgent things like, yes, clothing (although the infamous "Does this make me look fat?" is miraculously avoided here), and children who should have been home hours before.

While there's a great deal of music in the show, the song best known to those who haven't seen it is "My Cup Runneth Over." Keep an ear out for "I Love My Wife" and "When the Kids Get Married" for more musical highlights, however.

There aren't many surprises here, since the theme is the familiar territory of life with a partner, but that doesn't keep it from being delightful.

This wasn't a first production of the show for Theatre Harrisburg, which produced it approximately ten years ago, but the second run has been a hit for them. It's worth consideration for some other theatres in the region looking for small but excellent shows.

Up next for Theatre Harrisburg is something very opposite: WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF. That's the total flip side of marriage; it's not clear if the back-to-back contrast was intended, but may your relationship be more like Michael's and Agnes' than the upcoming George's and Martha's. Though it's not a musical, one hopes the same production standards will apply; at its best, VIRGINIA WOOLF can be mesmerizing in its sheer unhappiness. But drama's good for your soul; catch that, too.

Theatre Harrisburg's schedule and ticket information are at TheatreHarrisburg.com.

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