Review: LA CAGE AUX FOLLES is Gaudy and Grand at Signature Theatre

"Life's not worth a damn 'til you can say, 'Hey world, I am what I am!'"

In a world where so many are still struggling to be who they are, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, as well as its iconic anthem of authenticity "I Am What I Am," is as relevant today as it was on Broadway in 1983. It's a gift that Matthew Gardiner is directing Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman's award-winning musical as Signature Theatre's season finale. Social commentary disguised as an irresistibly fizzy romantic comedy, LA CAGE uses a few caricatures and a lot of heart to get across a message of acceptance without feeling preachy.

Brent Barrett stars in the production with undeniable charm and charisma as St. Tropez nightclub owner Georges, and Bobby Smith thrills as Albin, the lead drag performer and Georges' twenty-year romantic partner. Their perfectly normal son Jean-Michel (Paul Scanlan) ignites unexpected drama when he announces his engagement to Anne (Jessica Lauren Ball), who is from an extremely conservative family. Georges and Albin try their best to hide their true selves and straighten up - pun intended, sorry - for a pivotal dinner with Anne's political powerhouse parents (Mitchell Hébert and Sherri L. Edelen). Of course, hilarity ensues.

Barrett and Smith are the central couple and beating heart of the production. Barrett's TCM film star looks and rich tenor are complemented by Smith's overall vintage glamour. Despite Smith's impressive résumé, it's hard to picture him embodying anyone else but Albin while watching him in this production. His emotional performances of "A Little More Mascara" and "I Am What I Am" feel completely real, while his discomfort with being anything other than himself is palpable (and amusing) in "Masculinity."

The supporting characters are equally impressive, particularly the indispensable DJ Petrosino as flamboyant butler/maid Jacob. He hams it up in almost every scene while still keeping us so emotionally invested that we can't wait for his big break on the nightclub stage. Nova Y. Payton is indomitable as Jacqueline, and Hébert and Edelen are seamless in their double-cast roles as Anne's parents and French café owners the Renauds. The entire cast excels in physical comedy, reveling in small details: a cheeky turn of the head by Smith or a well-timed trip in high heels by Petrosino is often enough to bring instant laughter.

Les Cagelles (Sam Brackley, Darius R. Delk, Ethan Kasnett, Jay Westin, Isaiah W. Young, and Phil Young) are a visual delight in showstoppers like "We Are What We Are" and the title song "La Cage Aux Folles," with decadent costumes by Frank Labovitz, wigs by Anne Nesmith, and makeup design by Andre Hopfer. High-kicking choreography (also by Matthew Gardiner) ventures into delightful trompe l'oeil as dancers dive into a swimming pool or bloom out of a pile of marabou feathers. Lee Savage's whimsical, blacklit scenic design is just the right amount of garish, and even the most ironic elements are never over-the-top enough to distract from the action onstage.

As with most familiar rom-coms and well-known shows in the musical canon, every plot twist in LA CAGE is obvious before it plays out, but that's not the point. The sparkling cast provides solid entertainment, and the heartfelt storyline is a classic for a reason. Like ostrich plumes and Shalimar, it may be gaudy, but it never goes out of style.

Running time: approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission.

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES plays through July 10, 2016, at Signature Theatre's MAX Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206. Tickets can be purchased on www.sigtheatre.org or by calling 703-820-9771.

Photo: Brent Barrett (Georges) with Sam Brackley, Jay Westin, Isaiah W. Young, Ethan Kasnett, Darius R. Delk, and Phil Young (Les Cagelles); photo by Christopher Mueller, courtesy of Signature Theatre.

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