Bruce Vilanch finds himself transformed into King Louis wooing Madame Du Barry (Ashley Rae Little) in 42nd Street Moon’s production of Du Barry Was a Lady, playing April 30 – May 18, 2014 at The Eureka Theatre
DU BARRY WAS A LADY: Musical. Music & Lyrics by Cole Porter. Book by Herbert Fields & B.G. De Sylva. Directed and Choreographed by Zack Thomas Wilde. 42nd Street Moon at the Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson Street, San Francisco in Gateway Plaza (between Battery & Front). (415) 255-8207 or www.42ndStMoon.org. April 30 to May 18, 2014
DU BARRY WAS A LADY scintillates but does not titillate at 42nd Street Moon. [rating:4] (4 of 5 stars)
When Du Barry Was a Lady tried out in Boston before its Broadway run in December 1939 the censors did not approve of the double-entendres in the seminal song “But in the Morning, No” but it was a show-stopper appreciated by the New York audiences. In 42nd Street Moon’s staging the stars of the show Bruce Vilanch and Ashley Rae Little create a hilarious duet singing the song with only a smidgen of the bawdy. It is easy to visualize original leads Bert Lahr and Ethel Merman doing that number with full scale innuendo.
Forget the bawdy and go to see this show. It is the last show of the 2013-2014 season and they have pulled out all the stops beginning with bringing in the nationally famous Bruce Vilanch who has for years written the jokes for the Oscars and has the timing of a professional comedian. He moves his rotund frame, occasionally with arms flailing to accentuate his pliable face and enters into the fray. In doing so he does not throw the ensemble out of whack and becomes part of the whole yet being very distinctive in his humorous demeanor. Of course he plays the part written for Bert Lahr. Ashley Rae Little playing the role made famous by Ethel Merman is a match for Vilanch and can really belt out a song.
This show playing at the intimate Eureka Theatre is the first full scale production since 1941. It is classic Cole Porter with suave lyrics to delightful music. These include, “Friendship”, “Well, Did You Evah?”; “Do I Love You?”; “When Love Beckoned on 52nd Street” and “Katie Went to Haiti” and others. To buttress the music and lyrics they have created an attractive set (Jennifer Veres) including a fold down Murphy bed, with bright snazzy costumes (Felicia Lilienthal) ranging from skimpy chorus girl outfits to hysterical knock-offs of male and female attire found in King Louis XV of France’s court.
Fields and De Sylva cleverly switch from a 1930s night club to King Louis’ court with a storyline about a hapless but generous/loveable wash-room attendant Louie Blore (Vilanch) in love with café star May Daly (Ashley Rae Little) who is in love Alex Barton (Jack Mosbacher) who is still married to Alice (Nicole Renee Chapman). Louie has won the Irish Sweepstakes thus attracting many friends (money does that). Charley (Jordan Sidfield), Louie’s shady replacement suggest he temporarily get rid of Alex by slipping him a Mickey Finn. You guessed it, Louie gets the Mickey and goes off to Louie XV’s court while the quartet sings “Dream Song.”
Louie becomes Louis the XV with May becoming his reluctant potential mistress Du Barry. It seems that song writer Alex(andre) has written a naughty song “Du Barry was a Lady” and is pursued by Louie’s inept minions. Charley is now The Dauphin, the child-like heir to the Throne saves Du Barry from a night in bed with Louie with a well placed arrow to Louie’s posterior.
It goes on and on with some exuberant and sometimes humorous dance numbers by a very professional cast. These include soft shoe duets by Nathaniel Rothrock and Nicole Renee Chapman, ensemble tap dance, “Gavotte” by the Courtiers, and a show-stopper “Katie Went to Haiti” by the ensemble chorus.
Handsome Jack Mosbacher has an excellent tenor voice and gets to sing “Do I Love You” and “Written in the Stars.” Ashley Rae Little brings down the house with “Give Him the Oo-la-la,” and shares the spotlight at the end of act two with Vilanch in the catchy “Friendship.”
The show is one of 42nd Street Moon’s best and this reviewer gives it a four star rating. Running time 2 hours and 20 minutes with an intermission.
CAST: Bruce Vilanch(Louie/King Louis); Ashley Rae Little(May Daly/Du Barry); Jack Mosbacher (Alex Barton/Alexandre); Nathaniel Rothrock (Harry Norton/Lebel); Nicole Renée Chapman(Alice Barton/Alisande);Jordan Sidfield(Charley/The Dauphin); Abby Sammons(Vi/Mme De Villardell);Ryan Drummond (Kelly/Docteur/Paingrillé); Roy Eikleberry(Doctor/Zamore);Rudy Guerrero(Jones/Choiseul); Kathryn Han (Gemze/Gruyere); Adrienne Herro(Betty/De Verney) ;Katherine Leyva (Mitzi/Roquefort);Anthony Rollins-Mullens(Reporter/Fondue).
CREATIVE TEAM: Ben Prince (Musical Director); Josh Anderson (Stage Manager); Carol). Felicia Lilienthal (Costume Designer) ; Danny Maher (Lighting Designer); Hector Zavala (Sets/Production Manager); Samantha Young (Props); Arael Domínguez (Scenic Design Assistant).
Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.
Bruce Vilanch finds himself transformed into King Louis wooing Madame Du Barry (Ashley Rae Little) in 42nd Street Moon’s production of
Du Barry Was a Lady, playing
April 30 – May 18, 2014 at The Eureka Theatre
