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Regional Reviews: Minneapolis/St. Paul And the World Goes 'Round Also see Arthur's reviews of Annie and Fruit Fly: the Musical
And the World Goes 'Round, the revue of Kander and Ebb songs now on view in a glorious production at the Jungle Theater, was first performed in 1991. It draws from the team's first ten Broadway shows, the films Funny Lady and New York, New York, and the TV special, "Liza with a Z." An ensemble of seven performers who range from highly talented to gifted present 30 numbers in solo spots, duets, trios, quartets, and full company. There is no text; the show simply proceeds from one song to the next, sometimes pairing songs with similar themes, sometimes following a number with one in jarring contrast. The only through-line is the title song, "And the World Goes 'Round" from New York, New York, performed in full as the opener, with a line or two repeated at several intervals during the show's two acts, reminding us of its theme. The lyric says whether we are distraught or jubilant, the world takes no notice and will keep spinning heedless of our state of mind, so why take our feelings so seriously? The music, on the other hand, plays as a torch song, clenching our heart ... the indifference of the world becomes just one more cause of sadness. Classic Kander and Ebb! In the program, director John Command repeats advice gleaned from Liza Minnelli (who won her Oscar, Emmy, and Tonys singing Kander and Ebb songs) that to make a song work, it should be performed as if it is a one-act play. Command seems to have heeded this advice. Each performer steps forward not as an anonymous singer, but as a character, whose hurt, joy, hope, envy form a narrative arc rising from the first note, ending with the last. Along with the performers' expression and voice, movement is used to great effect. For a cast of just seven, the amount and caliber of dance is impressive. Mind you, these top-notch singers are not primarily dancers, but they use movement, singly or as a company, in every number to elaborate on the story being told, as well as maintain visual interest, and in many of the numbers, add to the sheer delight of a live performance. Every performer deserves praise, but if one rises above the rest, it is Bradley Greenwald, who lends his gorgeous baritone to a range of songs, from an electrifying "Kiss of the Spider Woman" to the innocent nostalgia of "The Happy Time" to the ruefulness of "I Don't Remember You" to the yearning of "Only Love." In these, and as a member of the ensemble, his wonderfully elastic face changes form to reflect the feelings and thoughts of the character singing. But each of the cast members shine at different times throughout the show. Therese Walth heats "Maybe This Time" with a scorching torch, brings the sweetest of sorrows to "My Coloring Book" (the one number not written for the score of a musical or movie), and with Betti Battocletti delivers a hilariously indignant "Class." William Gliness melts hearts with "Sometimes a Day Goes By" and "Marry Me." Emily Rose Skinner makes "Colored Lights" into a confessional yearning for lost innocence, and with Tiffany Seymour gives "The Grass Is Always Greener" a delightfully jaundiced spin. Tiffany Seymour's "A Quiet Thing" stills the house with a breath of wonder, and she gives "Arthur in the Afternoon" frank bawdiness, abetted by Gliness and Greenwald. Jon Whittier gives a terrific tragi-comic reading to "Mr. Cellophane" and movingly desperate voice to "We Can Make It." In group numbers, such as "All That Jazz," "Ring Them Bells," and "How Lucky Can You Get", the cast sings and moves with wonderful precision, in every case bringing more to the whole than the sum if its estimable parts. Thanks to the outstanding work of the Jungle's resident sound designer, Sean Healey, every word sung is clearly heard and understood, adding greatly to the impact of each song. Likewise, the terrific six-piece orchestra led by music director Raymond Berg is in perfect blend, with each instrument distinctly heard while forming a cohesive musical canvas for the vocalists to sing upon. Bain Boehlke has designed a set of dazzling simplicity, an elegant columned supper club with a formally clad orchestra poised in front of a jaw-dropping view of the Manhattan skyline at night. Ricia Birturk and Randy Rowoldt fashioned stylish attire of different hues for each performer, contributing to establishing their individual identities in act one, then has them all clad in black for act two, both bringing them into greater cohesion and increasing the drama quotient as song after song delivers its emotional load. There is a wide range of material, comprising a spectrum of feelings and moods from yearning—"Maybe this Time," "Marry Me"—to satiric—"Class," "The Grass Is Always Greener"—to nostalgic—"The Happy Time," "Colored Lights"—to reflective—"A Quiet Thing," "Only Love"—to lustful—"Arthur in the Afternoon," "And All That Jazz"—to frenetic—"Coffee in a Cardboard Cup," "Life Is"—and back again. In most cases the songs are performed straightforwardly, as we are accustomed to hearing them, the exception being a jazz rendition of "Cabaret" as might be vocalized by the Manhattan Transfer. Kander and Ebb were a Broadway phenomenon, with 14 shows from Flora the Red Menace in 1965 to their last, The Visit, set to open this April 23. Their last three shows were mounted after Fred Ebb's death in 2004. Of the 13 shows that have already run, nine were nominated for Best Musical Tony Awards, with Cabaret and Kiss of the Spider Woman winning. And if Chicago had not been nominated against A Chorus Line ... But then, the still-running Tony-winning revival of Chicago has gone on to be the longest running American musical ever. And the World Goes 'Round provides a robust sampling of the fruits of Kander and Ebb's unique style and substance, packaged as classy, heart-pumping entertainment. And the World Goes 'Round continues at the Jungle Theater through May 24, 2015. 2951 Lyndale Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN, 55408. Tickets are $28.00 - $48.00. For tickets call 612-822-7073 or go to www.jungletheater.com. For group sales call 612-278-0147. Music by John Kander; Lyrics by Fred Ebb; Conceived by Scott Ellis, Susan Stroman and David Thompson; Director: John Command; Music Director: Raymond Berg; Assistant Director: Christine Fournier; Set Design: Bain Boehlke; Costume Design: Ricia Birturk and Randy Rowoldt; Lighting Designer: Jesse Cogswell; Sound Designer: Sean Healey; Stage Manager: John Novak Cast: Betti Battocletti, William Gilness, Bradley Greenwald, Tiffany Seymour, Emily Rose Skinner, Therese Walth, Jon Whittier
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