Review: WEST SIDE STORY

It is nice to have a West Side Story with a cast that is age appropriate and able to sing the score. All to often, it is one or the other. Some of Bernstein's rangy songs do test the upper limits of the singers in Theatre Sheridan's production but the cast enunciate Sondheim's wordy lyrics with style.

As Tony, Reed Nykiforu beings an ingratiating naiveté to the role. His Maria, Kiri Etzkorn forces the Puerto Rican accent a little too much at times but she creates some real passion with her co-star and her final scene is chillingly moving.

The role of Anita is usually a standout and here Eryn Murman makes the most of the fiery role, singing and dancing up a storm with the show stopping "America" and bringing passionate anger to "A Boy Like That."

Eric Coles and Evan Sapach, both of whom are strong dancers and solid actors, play the gang leaders, Riff and Bernardo. The dancing in this show is crucial, the Jets' "Cool" dance was a particular highlight.

Director Marc Richard has coached the cast to play the show realistically – not an easy task these days especially with Arthur Laurent's script which substitutes poetic rhyming for actual street language. The performers rise to the challenge making phrases like "cracko jacko" sound natural.  In fact the most problematic performances are by the performers playing the adults.

The choreography and musical staging by Stephen Findlay, is electric throughout, although Tony's lovely "Maria" is upstaged by placing the actor on a scaffold that is twirled a moved to the point where it becomes distracting. To be fair, Jerome Robbins himself often complained he had nothing to stage in this number, but the busyness doesn't help.

These are minor deficiencies in a production that still packs quite a powerful punch. Not bad for a musical that's 50 years old.

Theatre Sheridan's production of West Side Story continues in the main theatre  on the campus of the Sheridan College until Saturday February 24. Performances begin at 8:00 with a 2 PM matinee on Saturday. Tickets are available by calling the Theatre Box Office at 905-815-4049.