Surprisingly, it wasn't until 1961 that Broadway began looking to the movies for its musical fodder, a choice that now dominates the industry. The first film ever to be "musicalized" was the 1953 Leslie Caron box office hit Lili. Carnival Producer David Merrick put together Gower Champion, Off-Broadway success Jerry Orbach, comedian Kaye Ballard, and a young, unknown nightclub singer from New Jersey, Anna Maria Alberghetti, to create a hit that ran for 719 performances. While New Yorkers loved the show, which features the hit song "Love Makes the World Go Round," London critics decried their production as overly sentimental. The London Daily Mail reviewer stated that he was so revolted by the overwhelming sweetness, his first instinct was to "flee from the theatre and kick a cat." While this quick-witted critic does have a point, the Mesa Encore Theatre production directed by Wanda Dittmann does what it can to punch up the textual darkness within.
Lili is "a grown up girl with the mind of a child." Recently orphaned, she leaves her tiny village to find a family friend in a deteriorating traveling carnival. There, she comes between an aging magician, Marco the Magnificent, and his assistant/mistress, Rosalie. To save her from the magician's clutches, Paul, a former dancer who has a leg injury from the Great War and is reduced to being a puppeteer in the sideshow, woos Lili through his four endearing puppets. Their subsequent act propels Lili, Paul, and Paul's cheerful assistant Jacquot to the big top. The struggle between the slimy Marco and bitter Paul over innocent Lili threatens to strip Lili of her rosy outlook.
Ms. Dittmann has filled the small stage with a cast of 31 clowns, jugglers, and other sideshow characters of varying abilities, and overwhelms the audience with sheer numbers, even as the ensemble vocals and dance are lacking. Her choice has its charms. As is expected for a community theatre, she has cast her leads with what she has been given, in some cases succeeding, and in others making do. One big problem overall, though, is the unfocused blocking of which many of her leads and ensemble are guilty. Rather than planting and singing, actors shuffle nervously.
The guiltiest of this restlessness is Kelly Easterling as the angst-ridden Paul. Mr. Easterling has decided to bring a Colm-Wilkenson-as-Jean-Valjean read and vocalization to the role, and it's not the best choice. He stomps about the stage, even when singing, and his vocal trills are much too modern. Also prone to wandering is Tim Hedger as the "now he's French, now he's not" Jacquot. Mr. Hedger's accent is as unfaithful as a French tart, though he's able to play up the sweetness of his role. Roger Prenger's Marco is smarmily charming enough, although he lacks panache. More successful is Mary Anne Asciutto as the frustrated Rosalie. She captures the weariness of her character, and adds just a tinge of both bile and failed romantic for a solid result.
The greatest success, and this makes all the difference in this show, is Robyn Pitman as Lili. She is believably sweet. She has a lovely voice. She plays Lili unswervingly, especially when interacting with the enjoyable puppets, and that's why this Carnival survives. If Lili and Carrot Top can hold an audiences attention, half the battle is won.
The show is choreographed by committee, and it shows. The styles are markedly different, but none are impressive. Much better is Ling Li's musical direction, as she leads an interesting orchestra of keyboard, guitar, and flute. Kudos for Karen Ralston's set, which successfully transforms before our eyes in an impressive way. Fran Lindsay has dressed her cast in appropriate costumes.
You probably won't want to kick a cat upon exiting the theatre, since there is just enough darkness to compensate for the lightness of the script, but you'll almost definitely wish for more precise blocking and choreography, more balanced singing, and a lead actor who doesn't chew the big top quite as much. You'll also be glad you saw Ms. Pitman and her sweet interaction with the puppets.
Production Details:
Carnival Book by Michael Stewart, Music and Lyrics by
Bob Merrill
Mesa Encore Theatre
Mesa Arts Center, Mesa
(480) 834-9500 (Option 1)
March 9th - 25th, 2001