Review: WATER FOR ELEPHANTS at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre

Sometimes people really do run away and join the circus. Author Sara Gruen had great success with that idea in her award winning novel WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, and Hollywood soon after took the story to the silver screen. Now a Broadway musical has hopped on the bandwagon and the result is often a often a captivating three ring circus of intrigue.

With a book by Rick Rice, the story stays quite true to the novel as we meet the elderly Mr. Jacob Jankowski  as he steals away from his nursing home for the day to see a traveling circus. Memories of his own life come tumbling back and soon his personal story comes to life as he regales a few of the current day circus employees of his days as a young man aboard a circus train. This device works beautifully when his younger self springs to life as he escapes from a small town, as his parents have just died in a motor accident.

Young Jacob has trained as a veterinarian and knows his way around animals. His adventures with the rag tag circus and it’s dark characters set the backdrop for his tale, when he soon falls for the Ring leader’s battered wife, Marlena.

This circus story is creatively told alongside some spectacular acrobats, at a time when Cirque de Soleil performances have invaded the 21st century. A constant frenzy of brilliant aerialists and charming animal costumes and puppets provide just the right amount of dazzling feats to balance the often dark story. 

The circus shines in the spotlight, but the roustabouts and “kinkers” lead dismal lives, often rejected from society. We have the little person clown Walter, the near lame manager Camel, the sexpot show girl Ruby and the violent physical laborer Wade, who all give glimpses of their dark pasts and drudgery of circus life.

Zachary Keller is the young Jacob, full of robust zeal and wholesome values…traits not often found in a circus company. Keller makes a strong  impression and is instantly likable. His  voice can soar when needed, but his songs  often are the least interesting in a mediocre score by  Pigpen  Theatre Company. 

Connor Sullivan is August, the domineering Ring leader who rules the circus, and his wife Marlena, by fear and intimidation. Sullivan is a dominating presence, and instills fear but  can also by debonair, when needed. One wished for stronger vocals to match his commanding characterization.

Marlena is played beautifully by Helen Krushinski She is a sympathetic soul who also escaped an unhappy life for an  unhappy marriage. Krushinski is petite and sings like an angel. It wasn’t hard to see how she easily falls for Jacob, and the flirtations between the two was palpable . Keller and Krushinski have great chemistry, especially in their love duet “Wild.”

Robert Tully truly shines the the older Jacob. He is instantly endearing without being maudlin in his old age. Whether an active participant in a scene, or just looking on from the sidelines, Tully is the true heart of the story.

The secondary cast is perfection. Javier Garcia as Camel is kind in a fatherlike way. Tyler West lands all the jokes and sarcasm one would expect from a clown, as well as some great physical sight gags. Ruby Gibbs is the voluptuous Barbara, sexy and also the company “mother” of sorts. Their group number “Squeaky Wheel” brought some old fashioned Broadway pizzazz to the story.

Chris Marth was brooding and appropriately scary as the laborer Wade. Every circus has this dark horse and Marth  fit the bill perfectly.

The fabulous set by Takeshi Kata effectively uses  cascading drapes, panels, circus banners, wheeled scaffolds and full on circus tents to creatively bring circus and train life to the stage. Subtle projections by David Bengali sealed the deal, with Bradley King’s Lighting Design meticulously worked in.

Costumes by David L. Reynoso were drab when needed, and flashy during production numbers.

One can’t begin to say enough about the brilliant Circus Design by Shana Carroll. These acrobatic artists shone at every turn, hoisted high on wires, gliding on suspended fabrics, flying through the air demonstrating super  human strength and agility. And thanks to the setting, none of this ever seemed superfluous to the story. Special kudos to Yves Artieres as the horse Silver Star, whose portrayal was spectacularly graceful and poignant.

Original Stage Director Jessica Stone had the gargantuan challenge of telling an intimate story with more moving parts than one could imagine. But the focus is always maintained and both intimate  and grand moments are all on display with precision. The Choreography by Carroll and Jesse Robb melds with the acrobatics seamlessly.

And that famous elephant, Rosie. Well, lets just say through backlighting, deconstructed body parts and one massive costume, all deftly  handled by 5 humans, she is a star. Puppet Designs by  Ray Wettmore, JR Goodman, and Camille Labarre are uniquely unorthodox and charming.

This production solidly tells a story in a way that insures the audience cares about it’s human characters as much  as the animals. When you feel the same sympathy for a battered elephant, a dying horse and a battered wife, you have achieved story telling at a high level. This circus story does not disappoint. Even when tragedy somehow results in a happy ending.

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