BWW Reviews: NINE at Boiler Room Theatre

Ciaran McCarthy gives such a stunningly raw and beautifully nuanced performance as film director Guido Contini in Boiler Room Theatre's production of Nine that it would be easy to lavish praise on him and leave it at that. But he is surrounded by a cast of women (and one very talented young man) who are wonderfully cast and who deliver performances that match McCarthy's in intensity and artistry. In other words: Don't even think of missing this show!

Ignore the urge to rent the DVD of the recent, misguided film version of the Arthur Kopit/Maury Yeston musical; you will be disappointed and while you will likely come away with renewed respect for the talented Penelope Cruz, you won't have the enriching, invigorating and provocative experience you are guaranteed by McCarthy and company, under the expert direction of Corbin Green, musical director Jamey Green and choreographer Lauri Gregoire. Boiler Room's superb production is artfully and creatively brought to life by the talented cast who bring Green's artistic vision so compellingly to the stage, telling the story of Guido's slow descent into despair and madness with a vigorous grace that is somehow unexpected, but is so genuinely expressed.

The Kopit/Yeston musical, based on Fellini's 8 ½ film, remains somewhat uncomfortable and off-putting as it delves into Guido's psyche and the impact of all the women in his life, but it also inspires and enlightens the audience with its depiction of an artist's obsession with beauty and perfection and the dangers of rampant success come too early in an artist's creative career. Yeston's music, which certainly works best in the context of the play, is beautiful and melodic nonetheless and is almost operatic in its dramatic import (which is completely appropriate in its telling a story of an Italian artist) and its ability to propel the play's fast-paced action. Jamey Green and his accomplished band of musicians present Yeston's score with ease.

Set in a historic Venice spa - where Guido has gone with his wife Luisa to spirit himself away from his demons, the press and his producer - Nine's action takes place during a few days in the pre-production phase of an ill-fated musical film version of the story of Casanova. Guido, himself a latter-day version of that much-ballyhooed lover of women, hopes to recapture the creative spark that burned so brightly in his youth, but seems only to flicker intermittently at 40. If he is lucky and his vision catches fire with critics and the public, Guido will again be a part of the cultural zeitgeist and he will realize the promise of his youthful cinematic and romantic dalliances.

McCarthy is ideally cast as Guido, his perfectly honed dramatic technique exhibited at its zenith in his portrayal of the multi-faceted Guido, who is - at once - both cad and choirboy. McCarthy walks that fine line with the confidence of an actor absolutely certain of his abilities. His performance lacks any false notes or artifice: He becomes Guido with an easy grace that he wears comfortably. McCarthy's uncanny ability to lose himself in the role is nothing less than astonishing - he commands the stage with aplomb and candor, yet he is generous to his coterie of co-stars (particularly in his scenes with Corrie Miller as his long-suffering wife, Jessica Heim as his sultry mistress, and Ashley Anderson-McCarthy as his soulmate), providing the perfect foil for their onstage histrionics.

As accomplished a performance as McCarthy gives, he is buoyed by the presence of a bevy of actresses who give startlingly honest performances of their own, ensuring that Nine boasts one of the best acting ensembles we've seen onstage this season. As Luisa, Corrie Miller manages to capture her character's own dual natures: she is a strong woman made vulnerable by her love for a caddish husband. Yet despite that "weakness," if you will, Luisa remains vital and engaged, ultimately proving her strength. Miller shows her own strengths in her performance, particularly in "My Husband Makes Movies," a lovely aria in which she attempts to explain Guido's ways to reporters, the public and, perhaps most evocatively, to herself.

As Carla, Guido's fiery mistress, Jessica Heim gives a richly hued and completely colorful performance. A beautiful woman herself, Heim bravely displays Carla's sexually-charged charm while somehow showing us her sweet and vulnerable side (her "A Call from the Vatican" and "Simple" are perfect examples of her range as an actress), capturing the whore/madonna conundrum Guido first encountered as a Catholic schoolboy.

Ashley Anderson-McCarthy (the real-life wife of Ciaran McCarthy) is lovely and serene as Claudia, Guido's soulmate (and, perhaps, the only woman he loves completely, save for his mother - warmly played by Valerie Navarre). Again, she is an example of the whore/madonna complex that afflicts Catholic men, yet Anderson-McCarthy gives a deeper, more moving reading of her character than you might expect. Her performance of "A Man Like You" is genuinely moving.

As Guido's producer, Liliane La Fleur, Jama Bowen is completely immersed in her character, displaying a flair for a French accent while being both entertaining and completely convincing. One of the production's musical highlights (primarily because it seems more theatrical and amusing) is Bowen's interpretation of "Folies Bergeres" which takes her into the audience, where she proves an adept comedienne and chanteuse.

But the real showstopper among this exquisite group of actresses is the luminous Kay Ayers, whose performance as Saraghina is nothing short of spectacular. As Ayers sheds her nun's habit to become the jaded prostitute who teaches young Guido (played by the particularly impressive young actor Jackson Harris) what it means to really love a woman, the show takes on a heightened sense of performance art. Ayers' "Be Italian" is the production's musical highlight (and its coupling with McCarthy's beautifully sung "The Bells of St. Sebastian" makes for a staggering and emotionally draining Act One finale) and, backed by an energetic and vivacious ensemble of women, she delivers the goods with a performance that is unparalleled.

As already stated, Green's cast of women is consistently good - and they look terrific in Melissa Cannon's elegant and stylish costumes - but special notice must be accorded Nancy Whitehead as Stephanie Necrophorous, Stephanie Jones-Benton as "Our Lady of the Spa" and Mary Bea Johnson as Mama Maddelena. The other, equally laudable, women in the cast include Taylor Green, Anna Pizzi-Cage, Kree Woods, Christina Candilora, Caroline Simpson, Shea Fowler and Elizabeth Ard.

- Nine. Book by Arthur Kopit. Music and lyrics by Maury Yeston. Adaptation from the Italian by Mario Fratti. Directed by Corbin Green. Musical direction by Jamey Green. Choreographed by Lauri Gregoire. Produced by Neely Green. Presented by Boiler Room Theatre, Franklin. For further details, visit the company website at www.BoilerRoomTheatre.com or call the box office at (615) 794-7744.

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