Review: NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812! at Seacoast Repertory Theatre

The Seacoast Repertory Theatre is staging a regional premiere of “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812!,” Dave Malloy’s Broadway sensation that’s a fusion of Russian folk music with indie rock, electronica, and pop mixed in.  

The story is based on a slice of Leo Tolstoy’s novel, “War and Peace,” detailing an explosive time in 19th century Russian history portraying the darker aspects of human nature citing jealousy, betrayal, and social ambition.

Fair warning about this show right from the start. If you like your musicals with memorable love ballads that you’ll be humming on your ride home, with traditional period costumes and dance numbers and a basic plot, with more holes in it than a slice of Swiss cheese, this show might disappoint.

But if you like your musicals engaging and immersive (actors perform throughout the theater and may be sitting next to you at any moment) that challenge your senses with a wild array of musical numbers, non-traditional costuming and intricately choreographed numbers performed by an energetic and skilled cast, then this show might be the highlight of the Seacoast theater season.

A second fair warning. I would call the show a rock opera (You will all remember the  controversy of one of the first of its kind in an Andrew Lloyd Webber sensation called “Jesus Christ Superstar.”) The show is all vocal music with no spoken dialogue that can sometimes make it difficult to follow the storyline. Be sure to read the synopsis in the playbill many times before the show to become familiar with the journey ahead. The first act boasts a flurry of ensemble numbers at a frenzied pace with words often hard to decipher. The second act is a bit easier to understand with slower paced numbers and some quieter storytelling moments.

The story revolves around the passionate Natasha Rostova (a captivating Sophie Mings). Natasha finds herself swept up in the dizzying social whirl of Moscow, yearning for love and a new life. Enter Pierre Bezukhov (played with depth by Jamie Bradley), a kind-hearted but socially awkward nobleman. Their connection is undeniable but kept at a distance by Pierre’s lusty and vengeful wife, Helene (Emily Lambert). To complicate things, Natasha is betrothed to Andrey Boloksky (Sean Mullaney) who is off on wartime ventures while she is secretly in love with the charming rogue Anatole Kuragin (Jason Faria), Helene’s brother lurking in the background. It becomes more intriguing as it is discovered that Anatole is already married while lusting for Natasha.

The plot continues with a grand ball, a duel, an opera, a suicide attempt by poisoning and the arrival of a celestial event with a comet crossing the skies. (Keep that synopsis handy. )

 The cast delivers performances that are typical of the Rep’s standards for excellence. The portrayal of Natasha by Mings is particularly noteworthy as she brings a sense of innocence and vulnerability to the role with outstanding vocals. Bradley’s Pierre is the perfect counterbalance, providing a performance that is both introspective and subtly bold. Faria’s vocals as Anatole maintain his place as one of the most dynamic and versatile voices in the SRT repertory company.

Other vocal highlights include performances by Emily Lambert, Alyssa Dumas, Quinn McGillion, Michelle Faria, Alexandra Mullany, Sean Mullany, and Michael Thompson

The soul of this production lies in its music, and it soars under the music direction of Aidan Campbell and Kenney McAlister. The show’s score is a wonderfully unexpected mashup of classical and contemporary influences that gives the show an energetic landscape to fuel the story. Musical highlights include the rousing "Prologue," which sets the stage for the cast of characters to come and the haunting solo, "No One Else," Natasha’s expression of love.

In addition to an offstage orchestra, there’s a clever staging with onstage performers playing violin, bass, guitar, accordion, triangle, and cello as wandering troubadours blending in as cast members. (Who knew the cello could be a wandering instrument?)  

Choreographers, Jason Faria and Alyssa Dumas are at their usual best putting the cast through rigorous paces that fill every space in the compact stage at SRT. The set, by designers Ben Hart and Brandon James creatively uses the incline ramps, it would seem,  from their recent performance of “Children of Eden” as a key set piece for this production.

Costume Designer, DW, gets creative with traditional Russian garb mixed in with contemporary designs that include leather pants on a few of the men. Lighting Designer, Zachary Ahmad-Kahloon complements the stage mood masterfully, shifting from candlelit intimacy to bursts of vibrant color.

 Directors Ben Hart and Brandon James continue to weave magic in their productions with stagings that are intricate, engaging, and vibrant, all the while making it look so easy to do.  They call their 2024 season The Spark of Creation and this current production, a regional premiere of a very recent Broadway production, continues to highlight their ability to bring extraordinary creations to the Seacoast theater scene.

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