In early October I couldn't stop myself from buying a single ticket to The Pirate Queen's 3rd preview. The Pirate Queens reported $14,000,000 budget and it's creative pedigree including book and music by Boublil and Schonberg, direction by the great Mr. Frank Galati and scenic design by the delightful Eugene Lee (from Trinity Rep!) demanded that I see this Pre-Broadway show as it develops here in Chicago. I'm glad I saw it, but man... all that money, all that talent... lots of problems and so much potential. The story is an ancient 16th century Irish tale, somehow not guided seamlessly for today's theatre experience. I can not remember one tune from the score, nor do I forgive them for the lack of a rousing, scary, well executed, musical, high-flying sword fight. Mr. Galati seems like such a teddy bear (I saw him at the third preview - he was locked out of the theaters glass doors - he knocked and made a "help me!" face to the kids getting ready to sell P.Q. merchandise just inside the doors... they let him in... I hope it's not ironic) I hope he has it in him to make some tough choices with this material before it transfers to Broadway.
Isn't it Rich? Mary Zimmerman, a former student of Mr. Galati, has steered the "ship" of Argonautika smoothly, clearly and with her usual trust of her fine ensemble and creative team. I loved it. Pure, never forced, immediate, funny, unashamed, inventive, clear... She used every inch of Dan Ostling's simple and sturdy "ship" stage space, including all the "up" space, of course. The entire cast took their time, but not too much, trusted each other and their material and generally had a ball. And so did I. Besides the guiding light of Mz. Zimmerman, the unencumbered, beautiful "cotten"y costumes of Ana Kuzmanic, John Culbert's forceful and direct lighting; I loved the sound design by Andre Pluess and Ben Sussman. The fantastically intimate old Watertower space allows for no amplification needed... but the lone body mike, tweaked just perfectly... barely there... on Athena was genius. Michael Montenegro's Puppet design fits nicely with the entire Lookingglass / Argonautika aesthetic. Zimmermans idea for the death of the baby puppet shows how well she listens to her artistic partners, trusts her self and material, and listens to her gut. She forces nothing. It's all there for her to choose from and use... and she's wise enough to know that and execute it. Genius. And a pleasure.
1 comment:
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on both shows.
Mary Zimmerman does display quite a deft hand at directing, doesn't she? I still remember how captivating her "Metamorphoses" back in 2002!
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