I’ll admit, La Cage aux Folles was one of my musical theatre blind spots. It’s truly a legendary and iconic musical that I’ve somehow just never crossed paths with. I’m so thrilled that the current production at The Carnegie was my introduction, because I truly believe I got to see a faithful interpretation of what makes the show the tried-and-true crowd-pleaser it is.
Even though I wasn’t familiar with La Cage, I have seen and love the American adaptation of the original source material, The Birdcage. The plot is fairly simple: a gay couple owns a drag club, and one of them, Albin, headlines the show as Zaza. Their son, Jean-Michel, comes home with news of his engagement, and what should be an ordinary “meet the parents” story flies off the rails when it’s revealed that Anne, his betrothed, comes from a conservative family. So Jean-Michel asks his father, Georges, to help him create a palatable evening. Tensions are tried, and things go wildly awry in a delightfully farcical fashion.
The show is led by Josh Walden as Albin. Notably, they starred in the 2004 Broadway revival as one of the Cagelles, so this truly feels like a special type of homecoming that audiences are getting to witness. In short, Walden is absolutely astounding. They are giving a true Broadway-caliber performance right here in the Bluegrass State, and it’s a performance I’ll be praising for a very long time. The sheer emotion they bring to the iconic Act I closer, “I Am What I Am,” had me positively moved beyond words. It’s a star turn that truly uses every skill in their arsenal, and it’s a marvel to experience.
Kevin Kelly, as his counterpart Georges, is definitely the “straight man” (no pun intended) of the duo and does a wonderful job of being the grounded presence within the madcap madness of the show. He has beautiful chemistry with Walden, as well as with Jack Haroutunian as his son. Don’t get me wrong, his Georges does have some truly hilarious moments, and he delivers the classic Harvey Fierstein one-liners with ease. He is every ounce Walden’s equal.
In the supporting cast, Jack Haroutunian as Jean-Michel has wonderful energy and charisma. He’s a Carnegie regular and is a testament to the type of talent that comes out of CCM. Max Cadillac as Jacob is a scene-stealing wonder. His performance is very much inspired by Hank Azaria’s in The Birdcage, but Cadillac does it so well that it’s a benefit to the production, whereas in lesser hands it could be a distraction.
I also want to shout out Brittany “Harmony” Hayes as Jacqueline. It’s such a small little bit part, but she made the most out of it and gave a truly wonderful scenery-chewing (non-derogatory) performance. Finally, this show would be nothing without the Cagelles. They are so finely in sync with each other as a group that watching them operate was constantly amazing and joyous.
The physical production fits nicely into the Carnegie’s smaller theatre, but it never once feels cheap or under-realized. Every detail and accent is well thought out and stunning. Equally, the costumes are appropriately over-the-top and campy, perfectly fitting the tone. Josh Walden was not only a phenomenal Albin, but a wonderful choreographer as well. The dancing was tight, clean, inventive, and had a very real drag feel to it.
With this newest entry into the Carnegie’s roster, they continue to go above and beyond, raising the bar for themselves again and again. This was my fourth visit to the company, and they have consistently provided some of the highest-quality entertainment in the state. This production has talent onstage in spades, and every element feels well thought out, creative, and intentional.
I truly wish I had the time to catch this one more time, as it was that enjoyable. So if you can get there, do not miss this truly fabulous production of La Cage aux Folles!
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES
Running Now - August 23rd
The Carnegie
1028 Scott St
Covington, KY 41011
|
Heartbreak Hotel Derby Dinner Playhouse (8/12-9/27) |
|
Golden Girls The Laughs Continue Paramount Arts Center (11/04-11/04) VIDEOS |
|
97.5 WAMZ Acoustic Jam The Louisville Palace (12/09-12/09) |
|
Footloose Woodford Theatre (9/18-10/04) |
|
Disney's The Little Mermaid Ramsey Theatre Company (6/26-6/27) |
|
The Outsiders Whitney Hall (8/18-8/23) |
|
Disney Presents The Lion King Whitney Hall (11/12-11/29) |
|
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Spooktacular Tour with Nell Campbell The Louisville Palace (10/03-10/03) |
|
Misery Ramsey Theatre Company (3/19-3/20) |
|
97.5 WAMZ Acoustic Jam Louisville Palace (12/09-12/09) |
Reader Reviews
To post a comment, you must register and login.