Show Boat is a
grand musical in the old style. It has a large
cast, features some marvelous dance routines, a few great songs and touches on
some societal issues. It is also sentimental, sometimes corny with a few too
many coincidences but in the end it leaves you highly entertained and
satisfied. And that describes the Glimmerglass Festival’s gorgeously sung and beautifully
designed production directed by the highly capable Francesca Zambello.
Show Boat equals the
great aria “Ol’ Man River,” a personification of the grand Mississippi River that
"jes' keeps rollin' along". “Ol’ Man River” equals
the unequalled voice of Paul Robeson. In this production Justin Hopkins as Joe
does justice to the song with his great midrange and wonderful rumbling low
notes.
Lauren Snouffer as Magnolia
Hawks, Michael Adams as Gaylord Ravenal
and members of the ensemble. Photo
Credit: Karli Cadel/The Glimmerglass Festival
But there is more to Show
Boat than one great song. Jerome Kern
married Oscar Hammerstein II’s lyrics based on Edna Ferber’s novel and produced
one of the landmarks in American musical theatre. The integration of plot and
music, the subject matter which includes miscegenation and the overall quality
of the show have made a milestone that is frequently revived since its premiere
in 1927.
The Cotton Blossom is a floating
theatre that travels along the Mississippi. The musical starts with a fistfight
where the star of the show Steve (Charles H. Eaton) knocks out Pete the engineer
(Maxwell Levy) for making passes at his wife Julie (Alyson Cambridge). The crux
of the incident is to bring into focus one of the most disgraceful chapters in
endemic American racism: the criminal prohibition of interracial marriage and
sex. Julie has Negro blood and that makes her marriage to Steve a crime. Before
the sheriff can arrest her, Steve cuts her hand and sucks some of her blood.
Thus he can prove that he has Negro blood as well and their marriage is legal!
This is a minor but striking incident
in the musical. We then get on with the main plotline which is the relationship
between Magnolia (Lauren Snouffer) and the debonair gambler Gaylord Ravenal (Michael
Adams). He is tall, dark and handsome, as they say, and she is blonde and
pretty. He sings "Where's the Mate for Me?" and they both sing “Make
Believe” and its love forever. Snouffer and Adams turn in superb performances.
They marry, have a child and do
well until Ravenal returns to gambling, loses everything and disappears for a
couple of decades. She hits bottom and rises to
the top on Broadway and loves Ravenal forever.
Magnolia’s father, Cap’n Andy is
overplayed by Lara Teeter who tries a bit too hard to be funny. His wife Parthy
a.k.a. Parthenia (played by Klea Blackhurst) is a termagant and her name gives
away her character. She is right about Ravenal but we prefer Andy’s judgment because
we do not want to interfere with the course of love especially in a musical.
Photo Credit: Karli Cadel/The Glimmerglass Festival
The musical covers some 40 years
from 1887 to 1927 and by the end Magnolia’s and Ravenal’s daughter Kim (Hayley
Ayers) is grown up. Andy arranges for a reunion on the Cotton Blossom. Kim
rushes into her father’s arms but Zambello, quite smartly, does not have
Magnolia do the same. It may be a musical but reality has not been abrogated.
Show Boat has a chorus of stevedores
and working girls who perform a number of songs and brilliant dances choreographed
by Eric Sean Fogel.
The sets by Peter J. Davison from
the brilliantly coloured show boat to the gritty harbour to the posh hotel and
Trocadero are superb.
The Glimmerglass Festival
Orchestra is conducted by James Lowe.
The Mississippi may be eternally rolling
along oblivious to the affairs of humanity but humanity, especially the
audience in The Alice Busch Opera Theatre was certainly not oblivious to “Ol’
Man River” or this production of Show Boat as marked by their standing ovation.
_________
Show Boat by Jerome Kern (music) and Oscar
Hammerstein II (book and lyrics) is being performed thirteen times between July
6 and August 24, 2019 at the Alice Busch Opera Theater, Cooperstown, New York.
Tickets and information (607) 547-0700 or www.glimmerglass.org
James Karas is the Senior Editor - Culture of The Greek Press. www.greekpress.ca
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