THE HANGOVER REPORT – Disney’s highly anticipated stage adaptation of FROZEN still suffers from tonal and structural problems

Caissie Levy and Patti Murin lead the stage adaptation of "Frozen" at the St. James Theatre.

Caissie Levy and Patti Murin lead the stage adaptation of “Frozen” at the St. James Theatre.

Last night, Disney’s highly anticipated stage adaptation of the blockbuster animated feature film Frozen opened on the Great White Way at the St. James Theatre. Long story short, it’s an altogether muddled affair. Like the underlying film, the expanded stage version (the unremarkable new material is by the husband-and-wife team of Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez) continues to suffer from a redundant plot and even more so from an inconsistent tone and point of view.

I had high hopes for director Michael Grandage’s interpretation of this creaky fairy tale about two princesses’ divergent paths (one of them has magical powers that cannot be sheathed, try as she might). I thought he brought an appealing, newfound specificity to the last Broadway revival of Evita, and his pungent Glyndebourne production of Billy Budd remains one of the most emotionally shattering operas I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, with Frozen, Mr. Grandage plays it safe.

The lavish stage musical never ignites in the way the finest examples of the form do. In fact, it seems tentative and curiously stiff. Even the big act one finale – you got it, “Let It Go” – seems inorganically placed, and therefore not quite as dramatically potent as it could be (Mr. Grandage and the creative team could learn a thing or two from the lead-in to Wicked‘s “Defying Gravity”). And although I found the big, campy production number that opens the second act amusing, it’s superfluous and seems glaringly and awkwardly out of place. These examples are representative of the tonal and structural problems that plague the show.

Additionally, there’s little chemistry between most of the show’s characters, even the show’s central relationship between the sisters Elsa and Anna. Caissie Levy, who plays Elsa, possesses one of the most impressive pipes currently to be found on Broadway. She’s also a very sensitive actress. However, the book gives her little opportunity to show off her dramatic chops, especially in the first act where she’s oddly given very little to work with. As a result, her performance sadly comes across as wooden. As Anna, the goofy and charismatic Patti Murin fares much better; hers is the performance that carries and somewhat redeems the show.

Despite these misgivings – and given the show’s mammoth built-in fan base – Frozen will undoubtedly prove critic-proof, likely haunting the St. James for nearly as long as its fellow outcast across the street at the Majestic.

SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED

 

FROZEN
Broadway, Musical
St. James Theatre
2 hours, 20 minutes (with one intermission)
Open Run

Categories: Broadway, Theater

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