BWW Reviews: 5th Avenue's CAROUSEL Lacks Emotion, Needs More Snow

If you read my previous review, Dear Readers, of SMT's production of "Sweet Charity" you'll know that I already had the occasion this weekend of a show where the leading lady just didn't connect for me. Well, that seems to be a trend as the 5th Avenue Theatre's current production of "Carousel" also had a leading lady who was lacking. There's plenty of good things happening in the show but their Julie Jordan (Laura Griffith) came across as emotionless and stone faced making me wonder why or even if she was falling in love.

It's one of the more bleak Rodgers and Hammerstein shows to begin with (and that's saying something with their proclivity toward racism, murder and Nazis) but at its core it's still a love story as young innocent Julie Jordan (Griffith) destroys her reputation by staying out late with notorious bad boy Carousel Barker Billy Bigelow (Brandon O'Neill) and letting him (gasp) put his arm around her. The two eventually marry and then fall on hard times with Billy out of work. And so with funds low and emotions high Billy lets his temper loose on Julie by hitting her, which she insists is OK since she swears he only did it once and "sometimes someone can hit you without it hurting". Seriously, Rogers and Hammerstein?!? Anyway, after Julie announces she's pregnant and the company sings one of the worst songs ever written for musical theater (I'm looking at you, "That was a real nice clambake"), Billy turns to crime in order to make money for Julie and the new baby and things go from bad to worse.

No, it's not one of my favorites but it does have plenty going for it as does this production. The dance sequences from choreographer Donald Byrd and the folks at Spectrum Dance Theatre are sweepingly gorgeous especially the initial transformation of a bare stage into a carnival and carousel told through dance and a very imaginative set from Martin Christoffel. Not to mention the Act Two ballet that conveyed a stirring story of its own with barely a word. There are some beautiful songs sung by quite rich voices such as a very rousing "June is bustin' out all over" from the company and a lovely rendition of "You'll never walk alone" from Anne Allgood as Nettie. Although I don't think I'll ever understand why director Bill Berry has Allgood nailing this song while comforting Julie and has her do the entire song with Griffith resting her head on Allgood's downstage shoulder completely blocking her performance for the entire song. Especially when he has them on that overly used turntable and can simply turn them around.

Griffith has an amazing voice and she vocally sells the songs but barely showed any emotion and rather just "parked and barked" her numbers eliciting no chemistry between her and O'Neill. O'Neill completely comes alive when he's with someone he can play off such as Eric Ankrim as the creepy Jigger or when he's by himself turning in a stunner of a rendition of Billy's soliloquy. And then there were the Snows. Peter Joshua as Enoch Snow and Billie Wildrick as Carrie Pipperidge (who becomes Mrs. Snow) both turned in vibrant and thoroughly engaging performances as the supporting couple and storyline that I wanted more of. They could have given us the show of "The Snows" and I would have been much happier as the two of them nailed both their songs and their characters and truly connected with each other and the audience.

All of this puts me in a bit of a quandary with my three letter rating system. With so much good in the show I want to rate it higher but there was that one major element that just didn't work. And so I'm splitting it up. The dance, O'Neill, Allgood and the Snows all get a resounding YAY while I'm forced to give Griffith merely a MEH. Superb voice, but I got more expression from the Carousel horses.

"Carousel" performs at the 5th Avenue Theatre through March 1st. For tickets or information contact the 5th Avenue box office at 206-625-1900 or visit them online at www.5thavenue.org.

To post a comment, you must register and login.