Review: ROMANCE, ROMANCE at Oyster Mill Playhouse

The universal language of love and its many complex facets are the central theme of "Romance, Romance". This musical is actually two miniature musicals linked together by romance and a song full of longing called "It's Not Too Late". Act one is the story of two people in late 19th century Vienna who take on different personas and wind up spending a weekend together in very different surroundings than they are used to. The next act fast forwards to the late 1980's and introduces us to two couples who come together for a shared vacation in a rented cottage. This musical is a huge task to undertake, as just four actors carry a two hour show on their shoulders. Oyster Mill Playhouse's version of this brief Broadway hit was a valiant attempt to bring something fresh to Central Pennsylvania.

When the curtains opened onto the full stage for the first time, a beautiful painting was revealed. This scenic artwork (completed by Susan Oscilowski) was a lovely addition to the atmosphere for the first story. The remaining set design was fairly simple and effective in setting the correct atmosphere for each piece. There was only one element of the set that was distracting. Two cream colored panels sitting on either side of the stage towards the front were quite an eyesore. It appeared that these panels may have been an attempt to hide the actors at certain times. If this was their purpose, it was highly ineffective from where I was sitting in the audience. Regardless of their true purpose, they were quite out of place.

The live orchestra was wonderful. Ryan Dean Schoening (the production's Music and Pit Director) did a fantastic job with his group of musicians. The sound of the orchestra filled the space beautifully, perfectly balanced so as not to overpower the actors singing onstage. This was easily my favorite element of the show, as it can be very hard to obtain this kind of balance in a more intimate theatre space.

There were some elements of the performance itself that were a bit disappointing. The choreography felt very stiff and forced. Looking at the singing as a whole, only one of the four performers was able to stay on pitch through the whole show. There were more than a few sour notes along the way, especially in the four part harmonies. There were more than a few forgotten lines as well. You could tell, however, that each performer put a ton of heart into their performance. The shining star of this show was definitely Nina Cline, who played Josefine Weninger in the first story and Barb in the second. Her beautiful and strong soprano voice definitely stood out above the rest. As far as the stories themselves, I found that the first tale dragged a bit, while the second was well paced and engaging. The chemistry between the real life husband and wife duo ( played by Paul and Alexis Neel) was well utilized in the second half of the show. The tension and complexity of the situation in this story were definitely palpable.

Overall, this was an interesting show. If you're looking for something different than the typical musical, you can check out this show through March 24th. Tickets can be purchased at www.oystermill.com.