Sweetness sells. Because of this, Stephen Schwartz' latest, Children of Eden, should enjoy a successful run for Michael Barnard and Phoenix Theatre. This revisionistic retelling of the stories of Adam and Eve and Noah's Ark is full of charm and liveliness. It is perky, upbeat, and though the God of the Old Testament is a vengeful one, here he's portrayed as a stern father with a fetish for pure goodness. Mr. Barnard has filled the show to brimming with 27 talented and exuberant performers who create a myriad of dazzling stage pictures, a vibrant set, lighting, and costume design, and a professional orchestra. All of the above serves to compensate for Mr. Schwartz' forgettable music and lyrics, not to mention the book's questionable reworking of the Bible to suit the tastes of a modern audience.
Imagine the basic stories of Adam and Eve in Eden and Noah's Ark. Here, though, God the father, strongly and majestically played by Michael Collins, is a literal daddy, and his children toil to live up to his high expectations. Whenever one of his children misbehaves, he reacts like an overprotective patriarch, setting up the practice for the generations that proceed. Worse than this, the script takes liberties with His word, creating links in stories and conjectures of events that serve the playscript without necessarily serving the source. Did Cain really find a Stonehenge-like structure that served as a sacrificial alter? Did Yonah, Japeth's wife on the ark, really send out the famed dove to search for a sign of dry land? So Schwartz and Caird say, so shall it be done.
Despite the material, there's a lot to enjoy here. Mr. Barnard and Robert L. Harper's choreography is energetic and imaginative. The cast often creates a fluid organism, and songs like "The Naming" and "Generations" look spectacular. There is not a weak performance in the bunch. From Mark Stoddard's commanding Adam and Stephanie Likes' inquisitive Eve to the chorus of five youngsters, everyone is enthusiastic and committed, solid of voice, movement, and acting. Jerry Wayne Harkey's eleven-piece orchestra plays their hearts out. You're bound to tap your toes throughout the evening, even if you won't recall a single tune by the time you reach your car.
Thom Gilseth's set is as eye-catching as the choreography, and Michael J. Eddy's lighting is colorful. Gail Wolfenden-Steib's costumes are great, and special notice goes to Liz Ihlenfeld for her imaginative puppet and mask design.
This is a thin musical given a lavish treatment, and the audience on the Sunday matinee really enjoyed it. While purists and persnickety people like me might take issue with the "Up With People" treatment of Genesis, those who relish a little embellishment with their faith will enjoy a great show.
Production Details:
Children of Eden Music &
Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, Book by John Caird
Phoenix Theatre,
Phoenix
(602) 254-2151
December 1st - 17th, 2000