Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Rodgers and Hammerstein’s CAROUSEL is richly and rewardingly revived on Broadway

• By drediman
• April 13, 2018
• No Comments

Jessie Mueller and Joshua Henry in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel” at the Imperial Theatre.

One of the most formative theater experiences for me as a young theatergoer was experiencing, as a teenager, Nicholas Hytner’s transporting 1994 National Theatre revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel on Broadway at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre. Last night, nearly a quarter of a century on, Carousel, perhaps the greatest of all American musicals, once again returned to the Great White Way at the Imperial Theatre in a rich production by Jack O’Brien. My hope is that it continues to inspire new generations of theatergoers with its glorious score and clear-eyed look at human life. Hammerstein skillfully adapted Carousel from Ferenc Molnár’s 1909 play Liliom, setting it in turn of the century Maine. The musical tells the story of the turbulent, chemistry-fueled, and arguably ill-matched relationship between Julie Jordan and Billy Bigelow.

What makes Carousel such a masterful piece of musical theater is its construction – no other musical I can think of more successfully combines music, dance, and drama. Just behold scenes like “If I Loved You”, and you’ll find yourself ruminating about whether the art form has devolved. Musically, I’ve rarely heard the score performed as wonderfully as it currently is at the Imperial. Tony-winner Jessie Mueller (Julie Jordan), the passionate Joshua Henry (Billy Bigelow), opera superstar Renée Fleming , and a gorgeously-voiced company sound like absolute dreams singing Rodgers’ superb score, here lushly re-orchestrated for a full orchestra by the legendary Jonathan Tunick.

For this revival, director O’Brien has tapped ballet choreographer of-the-hour Justin Peck of New York City Ballet to provide the dances, and they’re stunning creations. Like the late, great Kenneth MacMillan (also of the ballet world), who choreographed the last revival (and Agnes de Mille before him), Mr. Peck fully understands dance’s expressive storytelling potential. His dances for this Carousel are character-driven, athletically and thrillingly propelling the plot forward. Mr. Peck is not the only City Ballet transplant – principal dancer Amar Ramasar plays a seductive Jigger and Brittany Pollack is an angsty, restless Louise; both are brilliantly danced, not surprisingly.

All-in-all, this is a supremely rewarding revival, but Carousel can only work if the heartbreak at its tortured core is authentic. Luckily, Ms. Meuller and Mr. Henry’s depictions of Julie and Billy spring from a place of fragility and unalloyed humanity. In their hands, Carousel becomes less about the ills of abuse than the mysterious but potent power of forgiveness and redemption; their love, in addition to being combustible, is palpable. There are also memorable turns by a sensational Lindsay Mendez as Carrie Pipperidge (as revelatory as the young Audra McDonald was in the role nearly 25 years ago), a crisp Alexander Gemignani as Enoch Snow, and an affecting John Douglas Thompson as the Starkeeper.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

CAROUSEL
Broadway, Musical
Imperial Theatre
2 hour, 40 minutes (with one intermission)
Open run