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Frank Wildhorn was once heralded as the post-Sondheim inheritor of the Broadway Musical. Despite one critically acclaimed and two popular shows, this never has come to pass, as is evidenced by his recent sputtering production of Dracula: The Musical. He is particularly prone to the curse of the composer. Since his music is patently transposable from one show to the next (how many times have I heard a song from one of his shows that I mistook for another of them?), he rises and falls on the strength of his lyricist. The Civil War gained critical success with its subject matter. Jekyll & Hyde was popular, though probably more for its original star than its original score. The Scarlet Pimpernel, though not as popular as Jekyll & Hyde or as critically acclaimed as The Civil War, thrived more because Nan Knighton’s lyrics, sung to Wildhorn’s lushly repetitive music, were a little more interesting to listen to. The lighter subject matter, about an English aristocrat named Percy (Tyler Maxson) who marries French actress Marguerite (Linsey Maxson) and plays at being a fop to cover his extensive humanitarian work against the crazed Chauvelin (Jeffry Walker) in Robespierre’s Terror during the final stages of the French Revolution, is certainly more palatable than watching a man onstage sing a duet with himself as one does in Jekyll & Hyde. This is material made for Hale Centre Theatre, save for that whole doing a musical in the round thing; especially one that features a boatload of fancy 18th century costumes and extensive use of Madame Guillotine throughout. However, this spunky company will work its collective derrière off to make a show succeed, and their current production features one of the most impressive design creations from David Dietlein and Daniel Davidson that they’ve put together, Cambrian James’ direction and choreography uses most every part of the theatre, and is populated with raw-but-mostly-capable talent throughout.

The company once again proves able to find a way to avoid the problems of a musical-in-the-round and even how to turn disadvantages into advantages. James’ group dance numbers fill the stage with waltzing bodies, helping to make the audience concentrate on the whole and not on the less-surefooted members of the ensemble. He stages the Act I closing number with a wonderfully intricate dance routine so that the protagonists are on each side of the room singing their positions in a visually impressive way. While some of the dancing for the large group of men looks tame in comparison, the heights are impressive enough to not allow this to dampen the eve.

The real-life husband and wife team of Tyler and Linsey Maxson are fast becoming the Lunts of Gilbert. Tyler’s constant switching between fop flambé to fierce fighter is quite enjoyable, and his voice is strong and clear. Linsey’s accent is more of a wandering minstrel, but her presence, her rich voice, and her strong movement skills dazzle. Walker gives his best performance yet as the Javert-clone Chauvelin, really grinding on the evilness of his character and flashing the kind of looks that scare small children. His singing voice is nearly the equal of the Maxson’s and this trio commands the stage.

How can you give anything but praise to a group of designers who manage to create scene after scene of great implications or true creations. I mean, a working guillotine that converts into a dock? As each piece arrives, you wonder where they are keeping sets and actors. Davidson’s lighting is fantastic, although there is one effect, the tightening spotlight from above used to end several songs, that started to get old by the second act. The rest is magic.