Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Lear deBessonet’s underpowered production of DISNEY’S HERCULES at Paper Mill Playhouse struggles to pinpoint its identity

• By drediman
• March 3, 2023
• No Comments

This past week also saw the highly anticipated opening of Disney’s Hercules at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ. Of all the film to stage adaptations in currently in development by Disney, it would seem that Hercules – which first came into public consciousness in 1997 as an animated feature length film about the coming-of-age of the titular Greek god – would be first in line to make the jump to the Great White Way, especially after having been nurtured collaboratively by the Public Theater’s Public Works program in 2019 and now further developed at a major regional theater.

Unfortunately, the current product down in Millburn feels underpowered and uninspired. The staging is by Lear deBessonet – the director scored a big hit this season with her New York City Center Encores! revival of Sondheim and Lapine’s beloved Into the Woods (which successfully transferred to Broadway and is now enjoying success on the road) – whose unique ability to create an inviting communal environment for shows to thrive in here seems dampened by a lack of artistic vision for the underlying material. Indeed, the book by Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Armah feels under-adapted and at times downright lazy in its efforts to theatricalize the material. At least in its previous stage incarnation at the Delacorte, the musical was fueled by the energy and enthusiasm of various community groups (usually the case for Public Works productions), who helped fill in the gaps of the otherwise skeletal plot. Without their winning presence, the musical finds itself struggling to pinpoint its identity (or even pulse), very much like the musical’s title character. At least the amiable, tuneful score by Alan Menken and David Zippel sounded wonderful in the theater.

Unsurprisingly, the cast also seems lost on the vast Paper Mill stage. At the performance I attended, even such stage veterans as Tony-winners James Monroe Iglehart and Shuler Hensley tentatively went through the motions, as if in need of further direction and guidance. In the title role, the young Bradley Gibson looked the part but as of yet lacks the gravitas and charisma to make much of an impact. Coming off best were the spunky Isabelle McCalla as Hercules’ love interest Meg, as well as sassy contributions of the quintet of singing-actresses playing the Greek Chorus. There’s hope yet for Disney’s Hercules, but only with drastic changes in its future.

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DISNEY’S HERCULES
Regional, Musical
Paper Mill Playhouse
2 hours, 20 minutes (with one intermission)
Through March 19