Review: THE NOTEBOOK at Orpheum Theatre

Alzheimer is a complicated subject — we’re all terrified of it. The thought of losing one’s memories, our anchor to reality, is heartbreaking. The Notebook, originally a 1996 book by Nicholas Sparks and then a highly successful 2004 film, is now a musical that tries hard to grab a tear but falls into mushy sentimentality hindered by a forgettable score.

Set as a series of flashbacks, we follow Ali and Noah from introduction, to love at first sight, to separation, reuniting, marriage, kids, and grandkids. Noah is reading a diary Ali wrote when the symptoms of her disease began. It’s her testament to a life full of love, one that she cannot remember. And that’s the universal heartache we can all empathize with. Knowing where the story ends up takes second fiddle to the long haul getting there. Major parts of the book and film are given a Readers Digest afterthought.

Two sets of actors play the younger Ali and Noah, and they sing of hopes, wishes, and disappointments. They all sing well, earnestly trying to make gold out the hay of a folk-pop score by Ingrid Michaelson. Her score sounds like text dialogue haphazardly shoved onto melodramatic notes. The cross-racial casting is nice, and the direction by Michael Greif and Schele Williams utilizing time-shifting construction are highlights. Sharon Catherine Brown gives a nice representation of a woman both hopelessly lost and agitated. If you’re a fan of the book or movie and need a reminder, this is for you.

The Notebook runs through March 1.