Review: This is One 'RIDE' You Don't Want To Miss at The Old Globe

“Ride” at The Old Globe is an incredibly fun, clever, and wholly entertaining musical about a woman who chased the American Dream around the world from the back of a bicycle.  This delightful two-handed, one-act musical may inspire you to go find adventure yourself.  “Ride” is now playing at The Old Globe through April 28th.

Annie Londonderry (nee Cohen Kopchovsky) became a sensation in 1894-1895 as she became the first woman to ride her bicycle around the world.  It was a different time, where the humble bicycle was a symbol of change and freedom, especially for women who could now get themselves places without the help of a man.  (Gasp - the horror!)  Annie financed her trip by selling ad space on her bicycle and clothing to sponsors - she was ahead of her time as an influencer.

“Ride” opens as Annie (Alex Finke) enters the Pulitzer building on her way to pitch the story of her journey around the world to Pulitzer and his editors.  In the elevator, she meets sweet secretary Martha (Livvy Marcus) who gets roped into helping Annie pitch her adventures as a potential series of columns for the paper.

Finke as Annie is a fast-talking, energetic, and whip-smart self-promoter.  She is a mix of Fanny Brice, Jack Kelly, and PT Barnum.  She loves an audience, is here to change journalism with perspective, and doesn’t let the truth get in the way of a good story. As the story progresses and more details unfold, her brassy bravado gives way to the vulnerable core that propelled her to take on this crazy biking challenge in the first place. 

Marcus is sweet, smart, and a dutiful secretary as Martha. While helping Annie tell the story Martha blossoms, finding herself and many others as she plays the other supporting characters on this adventure.  Both Finke and Marcus are always moving, singing, and yes, riding bicycles.

Music and Lyrics by Freya Catrin Smith and Jack Williams offer many clever and energetic songs that celebrate and channel Annie’s imagination throughout. Everything is kicked off with the energetic opening number “The World’s Greatest Story”, and from there takes the audience through the plot points at a bouncy pace, from cruise ships to French customs, from running away for an adventure to finding out what she is running away from at home.

The songs come fast and ask a lot of Finke who has a bulk of them, and she makes them sound easy with her expressive and impressive voice.  Marcus is a lovely compliment with her nuanced performances.  By the end, you will be cheering for both of them as they bring this tale to a close in a number that seems to take some inspiration from “The Greatest Showman” in its boundless approach.

The scenic and costume design by Amy Jane Cook is as clever,  imaginative, and fast-moving as Annie. The structured office and library shelves quickly transform into customs docks and train cars, tabletops make quick changes in front of your eyes, and bicycles can be ridden for miles around the stage. There is also the wonderful use of illusions by John Bulleid.

The lighting design by Jamie Platt complements it all well and is especially lovely once the journey through Europe gives the characters room to explore.  The sound design by Andrew Johnson allows for everything to shine through.

A bicycle may not seem like a key to freedom nowadays, but “Ride” shows that with a little imagination, and a lot of moxie, the bicycle can change a person and the world with it.

How To Get Tickets

“Ride” is playing at The Old Globe through April 28th.  For ticket and showtime information go to www.theoldglobe.org 

Photo Credit: Livvy Marcus, left, as Martha and Alex Finke as Annie in the musical “Ride” at The Old Globe. Courtesy of Jim Cox 

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