Through June 29
The Robber Bridegroom at the Beck Center’s Studio Theater provides a boisterous romp. As Director Scott Spence points out in the program, the show, with music by Robert Waldman and book/lyrics by Alfred Uhry, debuted on Broadway fifty years ago.
It’s a tall tale based on a novel by Eudora Welty inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales. It’s set in pre-Civil War days along the Natchez Trace. Nothing is safe from its satirical glance at life from Nashville to Natchez.
Plantations, hillbillies, scheming females, murderous men, bandits, accents, romance, sex — well, almost everything, is fodder for the show’s heavy-handed humor — except maybe bluegrass music. (More about the music below.)
The lively cast features Nic Rhew as Jamie Lockhart, the charming Robber Bridegroom. Lockhart schemes to wed Rosamund (Izzy Baker), daughter of rich plantation owner Clemment Musgrove (Jordan Potter). Baker’s considerable nuanced vocal skills enhance our perception of Rosamund’s beauty. The romantic pair meet and mate before formal introductions are made. Once their true identities are revealed, their “true love” fades. But, not to worry, it may take months, but all works out for comic best.
Other side stories explored include the “wicked” stepmother’s. As poor second-wife Salome (whose name is “countrified” to almost rhyme with baloney), Ruby Moncrieff-Karten does a bang-up job, especially in the raucous “Pickle Pear and Lilybud.” Another notable piece is “Two Heads” sung by Little Harp (Connor Lirio) and Big Harp (Morgan Thomas-Mills); the pair demonstrate the literal truth of the old saying.
Ensemble members also include the agile Seth Crawford, who has the thankless task of portraying “Goat,” a young man with disabilities. (Such mockery has never been funny, really, and it still isn’t.) Rosalyn Blystone, Eliana Taub, Mariah Hamburg, Sullivan Ratcliff and Christine May also portray country folk.
The small (and tuneful) orchestra, directed by Larry Goodpaster on piano, featured violin (Evan Kleve), banjo (David Nicholson), guitars (Jesse Hodgson, Michael Simile), and bass (Jason Stebelton). I’d hoped for the sweet sounds of strings and voices, but alas, unnecessary amplification in the Studio Theater’s small acoustic space often obliterated them.
(Sometimes, if something is too loud, it — ironically — can’t be heard. If only I’d remembered my ear plugs, the sound level might have been just right.)
The set, designed by Trad A. Burns, magically turned the small area before the audience’s bleacher seats into a fantasy world with sparkling lights. Choreographer Lauren Marousek’s musical staging worked perfectly to gracefully move the cast from one level to another and back again. Jenniver Sparano’s costume designs fittingly enabled quick changes (and comedy).
Bottom Line: A loud country music fest that makes fun of everything on the Natchez Trace. Some musicals survive their time, but The Robber Bridegroom, despite all-out efforts by the talented cast and production crew, seems dated. Satire is difficult.
[Written by Laura Kennelly]