Review: THE LION in New Haven

What makes a lion a lion? That line is from the lyrics of a song Benjamin Scheuer performs in his theatrical musical memoir, The Lion, playing at the Long Wharf Theatre until February 7 and resuming its tour through the end of 2016.

Scheuer is an exceptionally gifted storyteller, songwriter and performer. His autobiographical show begins with a memory of a toy banjo his father, Rick, fashioned out of a cookie sheet so they could play folk songs together. But the story takes a dark turn when Ben is almost 14 and his father's attitude towards his oldest son changed. His father is a highly regarded mathematician and professor, and Benjamin worshiped him. Alas, math was not his forte. Around that time, Rick struggled with clinical depression and anger. The breaking point in their relationship was pinning a note on his parents' bedroom door because his father refused to let him go on a camping trip because his math grade was slipping. Just as he was about to try to reconcile with him, his father died unexpectedly and his British mother moved her three sons to England. Ben was sent off to boarding school, after which he alone returned to New York, where he fell in love with an unusual woman who encourages him to write a song for his father and visit his grave. Later leaves him in order to travel around the world. As if all this hardship wasn't enough, he was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 28. Once he is in remission, he can answer the question, what makes a lion a lion? It's not the roar, but the pride, he decides. He sings "Inside my gentle paws, I've got some devastating claws."

Some people describe The Lion as a coming of age story, but it is much deeper and richer than that. From the story, we understand that Scheuer faced some huge difficulties. Yes, he was angry and defiant, but he was also upbeat and likeable. He is real. The entire house gave him a standing ovation.

Neil Patel's set resembles an older, sparsely furnished apartment. There are six guitars, each with a special meaning and two chairs. Scheuer moves from one part of the set to another during the show and you realize that Patel's set and Ben Stanton's lighting design are truly in synch with the story. Rick's guitar is a corner by itself, as if to underscore the distance between father and son. The electric guitar is diametrically opposite, representing the alienated Ben when he returned to New York. Yet the set evokes intimacy between the performer and the audience.

Once this tour is over, this critic hopes that Scheuer broadens his horizons because he is not just this show. He is a major talent and directors of the caliber of Sean Daniels should cast him in other shows. It is no surprise that he won the 2015 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance and the 2015 Theatre World Award for exceptional Off-Broadway Debut in addition to numerous nominations for other awards.

The Long Wharf Theatre is presenting "Sing Your Story," a month-long songwriting competition with a finale on January 25. The Long Wharf is located at 222 Sargent Drive in New Haven. For more information, call 203-787-4282 or visit www.longwharf.org. Also visit www.BenjaminScheuer.com.

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