Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Charlotte Moore’s escapist adaptation of THE STREETS OF NEW YORK embraces the molds of operetta and melodrama

• By drediman
• January 10, 2022
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THE HANGOVER REPORT – Charlotte Moore’s escapist adaptation of THE STREETS OF NEW YORK embraces the molds of operetta and melodrama

This past weekend, I attended Irish Repertory Theatre’s revival of its musical adaptation of Dion Boucicault’s The Street of New York. The adaptation comes by way of Irish Rep’s Artistic Director Charlotte Moore (Ms. Moore is responsible for the adaptation, songs, and direction), who first mounted the piece some two decades ago in 2002. The work tells the story of a morally corrupt banker and the lovable, rag tag denizens who rally to bring about his downfall.

The musical returns at a time when the city is in need of escapist entertainment. Happily, The Streets of New York fits the bill admirably while still remaining somewhat relevant (e.g., financial fraud continues to be timeless source of headlines and fascination). By embracing the crowd-pleasing molds of operetta and melodrama, the current Irish Rep production mostly charms. Even if Ms. Moore’s score is a step below the best of Gilbert and Sullivan’s output and the production as whole could lean more unabashedly into melodrama (particularly in the more tonally muddled first act), I found myself grinning throughout most of the show. Suffice to say, the adaptation is at its most delightful when it pointedly accentuates the archness of the characters and the situations they find themselves in.

Ms. Moore’s staging is handsome and efficiently staged (thanks largely to Hugh Landwehr’s surprisingly versatile set). The musical is performed unamplified, which is a rarity these days. Thankfully, the balance between the cast’s well-toned voices and the small but lovely orchestra is just about ideal. The cast is very good, with a few notable standouts. As the banker’s self-absorbed daughter, the scene-stealing Amanda Jane Cooper is both a talented soprano, as well as a fabulous character actress. Also making me smile is the jovial work of Kerry Conte and Ryan Vona as the musical’s secondary romantic pairing.

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THE STREETS OF NEW YORK
Off-Broadway, Musical
Irish Repertory Theatre
2 hours, 20 minutes (with one intermission)
Through January 30