Review: GNATMAN at The Gaslight Theatre

GNATMAN is the sizzling summer hit now playing at The Gaslight Theatre! Inspired by the famous tales of the Caped Crusader, this melodrama plays through August 30. GNATMAN is a take-off on not just the Caped Crusader but superhero tropes and gags of all kinds. It is inventive and playful, with clever writing and a fast pace. The production is written by Peter VanSlyke, with direction by Katherine Byrnes and Mike Yarema. I appreciated the attention to detail in the staging. For example, when Gnatman moved a chess piece on the board in his home during a moment of crime fighting, this elicited a laugh from the audience. Gnatman always has time for chess!

Josh Lamoreaux did a superb job in music directing the show. His skills on the ivories are unparalleled. I appreciated Lamoreaux lending his voice to some of the band numbers. The three-piece combo, composed of Josh Lamoreaux, Paul Gibson on Drums, and Jack Wood on bass produced a strong sound that provided solid accompaniment to the singers. As always, it's better with live music, and the Gaslight Band does not disappoint. Vocals in the show were strong, particularly in the case of Heather Stricker, Janée Page, and Tyler Wright. At times not every actor projected amply while singing, but as an ensemble the group was well-balanced.

David Fanning has impeccable Stage Presence and charisma as Gnatman. He reacts with enthusiasm to his fellow castmates, embodying the concept of "Yes, And..." Fanning is no stranger to improvisation, but I also appreciated that he delivered his lines with intentionality. It has been said that the best way to get laughs is to play the part straight and to (mostly) stick to the script. Fanning did that and it paid off. Jake Chapman played the role of Atom the Teen Marvel. He brought plenty of enthusiasm to the role. Some of the catchphrases became tired after a certain point, but that is more or less the point.

Jacob Brown channeled his best Cesar Romero as The Jester. I was impressed with his physicality and vocal delivery. Brown's inflections were varied and cartoony, with matching gestures and facial expressions. Janée Page as Tiger Lady had the most impressive choreography and vocals, under the capable choreography direction of Katherine Byrnes. I appreciated her ability to move about the stage with ease, while providing a sound rich in chiaroscuro and superb breath management. 

Kelly Coates brought humor to her role as Miss Mammoth City. I enjoyed her changes in presentation and characterization, as communicated by her choices in physicality. Mike Yarema provided excellent comic relief as Manfred. The bit where Manfred got whipped cream on his face and kept singing was particularly entertaining. Todd Thompson didn't have as much to do as Mayor Bennington, but he used the moments he was provided and elicited some guffaws from the audience. The cast as a whole succeeded in making everyone laugh heartily, and they were sure to wait until the audience had concluded laughing before proceeding with their scene.

I particularly enjoyed Heather Stricker as Lt. Tracy/Gnatgirl and Tyler Wright as P.L. Ican. Stricker was endearing in both her characters and provided the audience with a little opera during the Olio Act, a very entertaining take on The Gong Show. I have seen Stricker play a wide range of characters from comic relief to villain, and she always does a great job embracing whatever role she is playing at the time. Her bit where she took an empty tray from the audience and said: "We're a full-service theatre" was so delightfully meta. Tyler Wright was engaging as P.L. Ican, especially during his performance of "Squash the Gnat Flat." Vocally speaking, Wright deftly navigated his passaggio and sang with confidence. 

The lighting design for GNATMAN by David Darland is gorgeous to look at. Specifically, the stage was adorned in bright shades of yellows, greens, and blues, which heightened the mood and created an atmosphere befitting a superhero theme. Costumes by Reneé Cloutier fit the tone and were agreeably split between civilian wear and extravagant superhero attire. Scene design by Tom Benson looked like a comic book come to life and was beautifully constructed by Steve Rowkowski. 

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