[NEohioPAL] Review of "Assassins" at Lakeland Theater

[Bob Abelman]

Production of Sondheim's 'Assassins' at Lakeland easier to admire than enjoy

 

Bob Abelman

News-Herald, Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times, Geauga Times Courier

Member, International Association of Theatre Critics 

 

This review appeared in the News-Herald 2/11/11

 

Everybody's got the right to be happy.  

 

In fact, the pursuit of happiness is an American ideal applicable to every citizen whether native or foreign born, successful or downtrodden, well intended or looking to shoot the President.

 

Did that last part generate a double-take?  Well, set that startling statement to music, have it performed by those happiest of fellows who snuffed out the lives of world leaders, and you have Assassins -the mother of musical theater double-takes.

 

With songs by Stephen Sondheim, the master of enigmatic, emotion-inducing music and lyrics, Assassins is a one-act play by John Weidman about the nine people who either killed or tried to kill an American President.  The concept that drives this precarious bit of storytelling suggests that what has been perceived as isolated political acts of madness are really the personal expressions of broken people seeking happiness.  They have just chosen a rather unique and, let's admit it, genuinely creative outlet.

 

Did you just do that double-take thing again?   

 

Director Martin Friedman, who is spearheading the Lakeland Theater production of Assassins , not only anticipated this reaction to Sondheim and Weidman's creation but has done what he can to compound it.

 

He cast exceptionally talented players who give these shadows from history's underbelly intriguing and, in some cases, almost likable and sympathetic personalities.  

 

He places this play on the grand marble steps of a memorial to American politics, which subtly contradicts the personal journeys of the nine assassins and makes this production even more dissonant and unsettling.    

 

He chose to perform the London version of this musical, which adds a ninth song called "Something Just Broke" to the show.  This song expresses the public's reaction to these assassinations and snaps us out of the thick fog of delusion generated by the nine deranged assassins throughout the course of the evening. 

 

The end result of all this is a piece of musical theatre that is hard to like and even harder to enjoy.  However, this is a production that is easy to appreciate and admire.

 

There are, however, a few awkward elements.

 

While the marble memorial set piece makes a powerful impression, each actor is in obvious fear for his or her life while descending these steep and oversized steps.  Unable to fight instinct, they watch their feet and, in doing so, lose eye contact and connection with the audience.  A play like this cannot afford to let its audience disengage, even for a second.

 

Friedman has extracted much of the delightfully distasteful playfulness in his production.  Gone is the sideshow/vaudeville context typically embraced by productions of this play.  Gone is the choreography in the few musical numbers that cry out for it, such as the stagey "Gun Song" and the minstrel moments in "The Ballad of Guiteau," where James Garfield's assassin breaks into rambunctious song.  

 

Fortunately, this is more than made up for in the scene work, where Friedman allows his actors to have at it. 

 

Amiee Collier, as the ditzy and dangerous Sara Jane Moor, who attempted to assassinate Gerald Ford but forgot to load her gun, is particularly brilliant.  Every comic choice is perfection.  Brilliant too is Brint Learned as Samuel Byck, the Nixon-slayer wannabe in disheveled Santa garb.  Learned's lengthy and emotionally charged monologue is a masterpiece, as is Brian Altman's depiction of William McKinley's assassin Leon Czolgosz and Scott Esposito's portrayal of John Wilkes Booth.

 

Adding to the quality of this production is musical director John Krol, whose eight-piece orchestra brings some beauty to an otherwise disturbing production.  

 

Be forewarned that guns are pointed directly at the audience throughout this production, with the intention of getting our attention.  It most certainly does and therein lays the bottom line of this play.  Attention must be paid. The pursuit of happiness is a double-edged sword worthy of a double-take.

 

Assassins continues through February 20 (Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m., Sundays and Saturday, February 19 matinees, 2 p.m.) and at Lakeland Civic Theatre, 7700 Clocktower Drive, Kirtland.  For tickets, which range from $7 to $15, call 440-525-7526 or visit martinfriedman98 at yahoo.com

 
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