'I Do! I Do!' Runneth Over Time

Michael and Agnes sure have come along way in their marriage.  In fact, American Theatre Company's current production of I Do! I Do! brings Michael and Agnes into modern day Chicago.

As Jan de Hartog's play, The Fourposter, was a stage hit (starring Lili Palmer & Rex Harrison) and a screen hit (starring Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn), so the musical version written by lyricist Tom Jones and composer Harvey Schmidt became one of those little engines that could success stories.

The original musical opened on Broadway Dec. 5, 1966, and starred Mary Martin and Robert Preston. The show ran for 560 performances and turned out to be a high point, not only of the 1966-1967 Broadway season, but of the decade as well. It also furnished the song My Cup Runneth Over recorded by Ed Ames and climbed to the top of the pop charts in 1967.

The show, which follows 50 years of marriage between the couple, was initially set from the late 1800's to the mid 1900's and is what gave the show its charm.  That charm has us witnessing Michael and Agnes shyly consummate their marriage and go through the typical ups and downs of married life -- the birth, teen years and marriage of two children; the major crises in their relationship (his success as a novelist leads to an infatuation with a younger woman; the empty nest leaves her feeling at loose ends and contemplating life on her own); and finally their leaving their house for an apartment.

The updating of the time period, including having the couple nibble on Frango nints, living on Southport and moving to the Gold Coast without updating the entire book has some awkward results as the dialogue seems a bit lugubrious. 

That is a minor problem though because with the dynamic duo of  Heidi Kettenring and Stef Tovar, Director Michael Weber could have set the piece on Krypton and it still would have worked.  Kettenring's rendition of "What Is A Woman" is worth the price of admission as is Tovar's "I Love My Wife".    Kettenring and Tovar also do nice work on the duets "Together Forever," "Nobody's Perfect," "When the Kids Get Married".   When the old age make up is applied and the duo sing "This Has Been A Very Good House", there was nary a dry eye in the house.  Douglas Peck's musical direction is also as masterful as the two performers.  

Hmmm, I wonder if Mayor Daley whispered anything about the rise in the entertainment tax into Michael and Agnes' ear when they met? 

I Do, I Do runs through November 11, 2007 at the American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron St., Chicago.  For more information c all 773-929-1031 or visit www.atcweb.org

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