[NEohioPAL]Updated version of BIG RIVER review

[Roy Berko]

I have discovered that there were two factual errors
in my previously posted review of  Mercury Summer
Stock's 'BIG RIVER.'   Here is the corrected critique.

Mercury Summer Stock’s ‘BIG RIVER’ gets a 7 out of 10
from my side-kick kid reviewers

Roy Berko
Member, American Theatre Critics Association

Remember the scenes in the Judy Garland-Mickey Rooney
movies when they get a group of kids together to do a
play? The results, because of their enthusiasm and
dedication, were fun, amateur productions. That’s the
feeling one gets from Mercury Summer Stock, which is
now performing ‘BIG RIVER, THE ADVENTURES OF
HUCKLEBERRY FINN.’

Mercury has as its goal “providing local performers
opportunities to work on and off stage during the
summer season.” Though they are listed as a
“professional based” theatre, in their present
production only one equity member is listed. It
matters not. If you go in expecting to see young
performers who really love the theatre, putting out
full-effort, the evening is fulfilling.

Based on Mark Twain's classic 1884 novel, ‘THE
ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN,’ the show features
music in bluegrass and country styles, in keeping with
the setting and era of the novel. The Broadway
production, which won a Tony for Best Musical, ran for
over 1,000 performances.

The Broadway production opened on April 25, 1985 and
ran for 1,005 performances. A 1985 revival opened in
the Big Apple in 2003. It was staged by the Roundabout
Theatre Company and Deaf West Theatre, and about half
the characters, including the leading role of Huck,
were played by deaf or hard-of hearing performers.
Having seen the production, I can assure you it was
both entertaining and enlightening.

The story follows Huck Finn as he helps Jim, a slave,
escape to the north to gain his freedom. Along the
way, they encounter a fake duke and king, slave
hunters, and are participants in a stolen money
scheme, a plot to free Jim after he is captured, and
Huck’s first love affair. All in all, the script and
music (“Muddy Water,” “River in the Rain,” “Worlds
Apart,” and “Free at Last”) are both moving and of
high quality.

Mercury’s production is under the deft direction of
Pierre-Jacques Brault, a 2001 graduate of
Baldwin-Wallace College's Music Theatre Department.
His directing credentials are impressive for one so
young. His youthful enthusiasm has been infused into
the cast, who appears to be having a great time on
stage.

The production’s accomplishments are even more
impressive when one realizes that they are performing
on a tiny stage, with no fly gallery or wing space,
and a very limited budget. This causes all sorts of
complications of a show that requires a number of
sets, set changes and extensive costumes.

The production is uneven, but that’s to be expected
with such a young cast. Brian Marshall, the theatre’s
Managing Artistic Director, makes for a fine Huck.
Though appearing a little too old for the role, he has
a nice voice and a good grasp of the nuances of the
part.

Charles Walker (Jim) has fine vocal and acting
abilities. His rendition of “Free At Last” was
powerful. Daniel Marshall (Duke), the only listed
union performer, is delightful as the overblown
Shakespearean actor, as is Arthur Wise (King) as his
scheming sidekick. Corey Joseph Mach is Tom Sawyer
personified. Some of the singing and dancing by those
in minor roles was a little ragged, but the vocal
blends, especially of the boys chorus, were excellent.

As is the case when a show has youth attendance
potential, I took my grandsons Alex (11) and Noah
Berko (10) to see the production. On their grading
scale, they gave the production a 7 out of 10. Alex
summarized, “It was a good play, but I didn’t
understand all of the jokes, but lots of it was funny.
(Sidenote: as a fifth grader he hasn’t quite been
exposed to Shakespeare and southern folk humor.) The
singing was really good and I liked Charles Walker who
played Jim, the African American slave. I don’t think
people should own slaves, it’s dumb!” Noah agreed. He
also expressed concern because the set wasn’t
realistic enough to portray the raft moving down the
river. They both liked Huck and Tom. Alex added, “They
used the “N” word a lot and they swore 26 times.” Noah
stated, “That might offend some people.”

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: BIG RIVER is a well-conceived
script. In the hands of Pierre Brault and his Mercury
youthful, enthusiastic cast, it gets an uneven but
pleasing production. It’s worth a “go see.”

‘BIG RIVER, THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN’
continues at Parma Little Theatre, 6285 W. 54th
Street, Parma, through June 30.   For tickets, which
are a reasonable $15 or $12, call 216-771-5862.


Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info
      
Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.  His reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com


       
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