Review: FALSETTOS at Theater Latté Da

It is safe to assume that when a show opens with a song called, “4 Jews in a Room Bitching”, what is soon to follow will be anything but ordinary. That is exactly how Falsettos, now playing at Theater Latté Da, kicks off it’s story of love, loss, and the things we discover about ourselves on the way.

When Marvin leaves his wife and child for his new found lover (Whizzer), he sets off a chain of events that throws his entire family into disarray. While, seemingly, trying to find his own identity, Marvin is forced to reckon with still being a father to a son who struggles to find his place in the new dynamic.

Originally written as a series of one act musicals, Falsettos has combined two of the three original acts to create a full length musical spanning over two different years, 1979 and 1981. Drawing on his own experiences, William Finn, has crafted a story that shows a slice of life where many people seem to find themselves, choosing between the life they are living and the life they aspire to live.

For those unfamiliar with Finn’s writing, it may be a struggle to fully buy into the music. Where most musicals have very defined verses, tempos, and even hummable” songs, Falsettos has very little of that. It is a completely sung through show (think of Rent or Les Miserables) but it doesn’t carry the bravado of the others. It is a small and emotional show where the music takes on a very large role but unfortunately, at times, hinders the emotional impact due to the choppiness of the the score.

While there are some stand out melodies and lyrics within the show, it is most likely not a cast album that you will rush out of the theater to put on during your drive home.

While the music itself may lack for some, the performances do not. Sasha Andreev delivers a spectacular performance as Marvin. Between his rage and frustration with his ex-wife’s choice to date his therapist and his admiration for the new man in his life, Andreev delivers a performance that toes the line between holding it all together and letting it all fall apart, in expert fashion.

Taking on the role of Trina, Marvin’s ex-wife, Serena Brook all but steals the show with her number, “Breaking Down”, where she laments how Marvin’s actions have all but derailed her emotional stability. Providing almost all of the emotion within the show, props are in order for breaking every heart in the theater and yet still giving them hope that there is life after divorce and heartbreak.

Falsettos is not an often produced show and it is always a treat when a theater takes a risk on it. In this case, Theater Latté Da delivers a worthy production with top notch talent and a beautiful message that love conquers all.