Review: THE NOTEBOOK at Orpheum Theatre Memphis
The production runs from October 28-November 2
"The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us rerach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds."
If you are a fan of Nicholas Sparks's novel The Notebook or the 2004 film of the same title (starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, you do not want to miss this production. It is a beautiful love story of endurance and hope even amidst the constant trials. It is one of my favorite films of all time so I tried not to be too critical of the details-- I had heard that the musical is more based on the book than the movie, but particular scenes will have The Notebook movie fans moving with excitement, particularly the iconic rain scene.
The production opens with Noah Calhoun (portrayed by Beau Gravitte) who is living with his wife, Allie (Sharon Catherine Brown) in a retirement home. Allie suffers from Alzheimers so Noah reads to her, from a book about their lives together. The actors who portray the couple in the 2004 film are the late James Garner and Gena Rowlands, and the scenes are fairly heartwrenching. It is no different in the musical, where Brown tugs at the heartstrings every time she is seen struggling with her disease and the loss of her memories. The scenes had me sniffling, having seen this behavior in my own family and seeing it portrayed on stage in such a raw, emotional way makes Brown the VIP of the show in my mind. Gravitte has his own moments where he brings tears to the audience's eyes, especially when he keeps reminding himself and those around him that Allie will come back to him if he continues to read to her. Despite hearing the opposite from the medical staff and his own family, he continues to hope and is determined to stay by her side.
Throughout the production, we see a younger Allie and Noah when they first meet and fall in love, and then 10 years later, when a newly-engaged Allie returns to the house that Noah promised to build for her. Chloe Cheers and Kyle Mangold bring forth youthful innocence while Alysha Deslorieux and Ken Wulf Clark grapple with intense emotions while still displaying exceptional vocal talent. Though none of the songs are particularly memorable, Allie's eleven'o'clock number "My Days" was my favorite and Deslorieux is to be commended on her powerful belt and emotional delivery of the song.
Other stand-out performances were from Connor Richardson, who delivers some well-needed comic relief and Anne Tolpegin who portrays both Allie's mother and her Nurse. Although the show centers around the couple, told by three different versions of them, the ensemble carries the show beautifully through numbers such as "Time" and "I Love You More".
The show doesn't feature exhilarating dance choreography or show-stopping musical numbers. It has some big shoes to fill and doesn't quite live up to the hype of the movie or the book but the performances are fantastic and not to be missed. The Notebook is in town until November 2nd, so get your tickets today. The Orpheum will leave the light on for you.
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