So, I ended my London theatrical jaunt with two shows yesterday: Mary Poppins and Sunday in the Park with George.
We'll start with the good one.
I can't say enough good things about the London revival of Sunday in the Park with George. Yes, the physical production is dazzling. The set comprises a series of digital images that change as George progresses with his masterpiece, "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte." One might perceive this technical achievement as a gimmick, but one would be decidedly wrong. Here's a marvelous example of a design concept that serves to enhance the meaning and dramatic power of the piece. (For an example of what this looks like, check out link to the show's official site above.)
But far more important are the direction and performances in this masterfully executed show. I'm a huge fan of the original production, but this show had me seeing much of it in a new light. I was moved to tears at numerous points in the show, thanks mostly to the stirring performances by Daniel Evans and Jenna Russell as George and Dot. So different from Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters, but oh-so-effective in their own ways.
Evans makes for a far more sympathetic and animated George than Patinkin. At first, I thought this would bother me, because George is emotionally cut off from his surroundings. But Evans eventually convinced me that being emotionally demonstrative is not the same as being emotionally available.
Jenna Russell is a revelation: a dynamic and adorable performer of strength and nuance. Her rapport with Evans actually convinced me that the two were in love, which is something I never quite got from Patinkin and Peters. You could really see why they ultimately did belong together, and this made the show all the more heartbreaking.
Another key to the emotional cadence of the show was Gay Soper's performance as George's mother. Normally one might not think of this part as pivotal, but Soper and her director, Sam Buntrock, use the mother character to infuse the end of act one with a stunning sense of loss. During the scene in which Dot comes to show George his child before she moves to South Carolina, George is sketching his mother and refuses/is unable to look up from his pad at his own child. A terrific scene, but one made all the more powerful by Soper's reaction to the proceedings. Her face registers the heartbreak of a grandmother who will never know her grandchild, and a mother who sees her son fail to...well...connect. Simply heart-rending.
Of course, some might claim the real stars of the show are Buntrock's direction and David Farley's design. And to a certain extent, they would be right. But, again, the direction and design actually serve the piece, enhancing Sondheim and Lapine's brilliant show, and maximizing its emotional impact.
Sunday runs in London until September 2nd, but there's talk of a Broadway run. However and wherever you can, see this show. I can't recommend it highly enough.
