ASU Lyric Opera Theatre's The Boy Friend
(out
of 
)Mark S.P. Turvin
(home office) (602) 912-0117
I can be reached for comment via e-mail at: mspt@goldfishpublishers.com
Reviewed 10/2/98
(out
of )Arizona State University's Lyric Opera Theatre has produced shows that have been either very impressive, or very overdone, and sometimes both at once. Due to an unforeseen ousting from their usual Music Theatre space, they have had to learn a different kind of shuffle; re-creating the initial musical of their thirty-fifth season, Sandy Wilson's spoof of twenties musicals, The Boy Friend, from a grand, splashy affair to an intimate one. Leaving behind their half-completed, oversized sets and visions, Director and Choreographer JoAnn Yeoman has put together a show that actually showcases the talent, rather than the designers and budgets. As a result, the stars of the show are just that, the stars of the show. Instead of highlighting oversized, unwieldy sets as marred last year's production of The Secret Garden, the spotlight is back where it belongs, on the many talented performers in the cast of this cute musical pastiche.
No matter how you look at it, The Boy Friend is nothing short of cotton candy. It's art comes from the fact that it never attempts to be anything more than that, since it is an homage to the days of flappers, music halls, and happy endings. The result is a highly entertaining nod to high-kicking beauties, contrived plot twists, over-the-top comedy and loves lost and recovered. Set in the French Riviera, Polly is a British student at an exclusive girl's school who meets a delivery boy and falls in love, but must be sure that he loves her only for her, and not her dowry. Her dad and teacher are thrown into the mix, as well as his parents, her friends and their boyfriends. The usual complications occur, but ultimately, everything is an excuse for singing, dancing, and falling in love.
Ms. Yeoman has done an exceptional job of making what could have been a huge affair into an intimate one. While this is still a spectacle, it is one on a human level, and much more involving because of it. Her choreography is perfect for the era, and well-executed.
At the center of this enjoyable retelling is Kelly Dwight as the wide-eyed, loveable Polly. This was the role that launched the career of Julie Andrews in Britain, and Ms. Dwight's many similarities to this talented star help enhance her performance. She shows the audience her vocal talents and dancing prowess, and connects with them on many different levels, all while remaining unerringly true to her character. Also exceptional was Alissa James as Madame Dubonnet, Polly's teacher and her dad's former wartime love. Ms. James has a wonderful voice that is suited to this character, and plays the role with a complete honesty that is essential to this type of spoof.
Wonderful performances come from Brook Voigt as Polly's friend, Maisie, and Jason Paul as her beau, Bobby. They both dance up a storm, and sing well in addition. Also impressive is Tim Shawver as the lusty and incorrigible Lord Brockhurst, who plays his hilarious role so over-the-top, he seem to have taken lessons from many a famed Vaudevillian.
Solid in their roles are Ithamar Enriquez, Jr. as delivery boy Tony, Jennifer Long as the French maid, Hortense, and Michael Empey as Polly's stodgy father, Percival.
The ensemble was dead-on. Their implied link to the audience, and awareness of their camp, helped to keep this show from becoming too kitschy. They handled Ms. Yeoman's dance steps very well, and the differences they made between each of their smaller roles helped to differentiate and highlight each one of them, a definite plus.
Callum Morris did a wonderful job heading the orchestra, which never overwhelmed the show, and captured the sounds of the era very well.
Gary L. Campbell's scenic design and Michael Eddy's lighting were better than expected considering the sudden changes in schedule and markedly smaller space to work with. Esther Turner's costumes were wonderful and perfectly period. Unfortunately, David Temby's sound design was still a little over-amplified, which proved at times distracting, and at others unnecessary, considering the size of the space.
You never can tell what to expect from ASU's Lyric Opera. As
with all educational theatre programs, what seems to be their
forté in one show can become a liability in the next. Just
as they seemed to be overwhelming themselves, the Fates have intervened
to remind them of their strongest asset: their performers. The
result is a musical entertainment sure to be enjoyed by everyone
from three to three hundred.
Production Details:
The Boy Friend
Book, Music and Lyrics by Sandy Wilson
Lyric Opera Theatre in the Nelson Fine Arts Dance Lab, Tempe
965-6447
October 2nd - October 11th, 1998