BWW Reviews: Fantastic Robber Bridegroom at ICT, Long Beach

The Robber Bridegroom
book & lyrics by Alfred Uhry
music by Robert Waldman
directed & choreographed by Todd Nielsen
ICT (International City Theatre), Long Beach
through November 6

The musical The Robber Bridegroom was a phenomenal success on Broadway in the mid seventies and catapulted Barry Bostwick and Patti LuPone to Broadway stardom. It was also one of the first hits for writer Alfred Uhry who would later go on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Driving Miss Daisy. Now onstage at ICT, Long Beach, the revival of Bridegroom is fast becoming a smash hit with audiences. But, you'd better hurry; it closes November 6!

Rarely revived, the show's success stems from its intimacy with a nine member cast, who tell a story, as in Man of La Mancha, in the simplest, most straight-forward, sincerest way possible. There is no room for star turns. Every member of the ensemble is there to serve the whole. They are called upon to make the physical scene changes and even to create the sound effects, like bird calls and creaking doors. This is Rodney's Landing, Mississippi in 1942 and the Natchez Trace in 1795, so there is a history to be told of the people who came to settle the area over a couple of centuries. On a practically bare stage with a barn, ladder and haystacks, the story unfolds. Clemment Musgrove (Michael Stone Forrest), a wealthy planter, places his trust in Jamie Lockhart (Chad Doreck), a gentleman robber, who deflowers Rosamund (Jamison Lingle), Musgrove's daughter, without knowing who she is. Lockhart is later the given the opportunity to marry her and inherit her father's wealth. Of course, no one is aware that Lockhart is a robber. In fact, Musgrove beseeches Lockhart's aid in hunting down the rapist. Rosamund falls instantly in love with the robber, who covers his face with berry stains to protect his true identity, and when she discovers that he and Lockhart are one and the same, the future seems brighter to her, but, alas, not as far as Lockhart is concerned. Rosamund not only has to contend with Lockhart's unwillingness to see love and marriage compatible, but also with a wicked stepmother Salome (Sue Goodman) whose jealousy of Rosamund goes to extremes. Along the way we meet small conmen Little Harp and Big Harp, merely a head of a robber (Michael Uribes and Tyler Ledon), simple minded Goat (Adam Wylie), his sister Airie and a raven (Tatiana Mac) and Airie and Goat's mother (Teya Patt). They all dance, sing and speak as they move in and out of the audience, often cavorting with and bringing audience onboard to participate in background action, uncomplicated stuff like like being a tree and holding up some branches.

Picture Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, their wild adventures, cornpone...and corny jokes, rampant silliness and a whole lot of confusion and mistaken identities not unlike a Shakesperean comedy, throw in dancing and some delightful tunes by Robert Waldman, particularly the beautiful "Sleepy Man", and you have a delightfully rustic/ extraordinarily enchanting evening in the theatre.

The entire ensemble is marvelous under Todd Nielsen's sharp direction, but I must mention a couple of standouts. Adam Wylie as Goat is astounding in so many ways. He not only plays the eccentricities of the character down to the smallest possible detail, but dances and sings so hauntingly the Act I finale chase and seduction. Goodman has a spectacular singing voice and Uribes and Ledon steal every moment of their comedic scenes. Stephen Gifford does a splendid job with scenic design and Kim DeShazo as well with period costumes.
Bravo!

 

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