Still
time to see ‘Little Women-The Musical’;A peek into a
bygone era
By
Daniel Hines
Publisher
www.TodaysSeniorsNetwork.com
As one
who has always considered the mid-19th
Century and the Civil War Era a time of special
eloquence, I can wholeheartedly recommend ‘Little
Women-The Musical’—now playing at the Fabulous Fox
Theater through March 6.
The
stage sets and costuming remind us of a time when
soldiers wrote beautiful letters home that resonate
today—perhaps even more strikingly so. And, there is an
underlying theme of true family values—loyalty chief
among them—that could set a standard for today.
Admittedly, the March sisters have been slightly
transformed and there is perhaps a bit too much of
‘California girls ‘ in their pursuit of fun and, in the
case of Jo, the chief protagonist of the epic book by
Louisa May Alcott, a bit too much of asserting her right
to be a liberated woman, but this production still
offers an opportunity for a family night at the
theater.
And,
that makes it worthwhile.
Unfortunately, the opening night performance which we
attended, was sans the presence of Maureen McGovern, who
plays Marmee, the mother who oversees the March sisters
while her husband is off to fight in the Civil War.
I have
the feeling that Ms. McGovern, who created the role for
which she received a 2005 Drama Desk Award nomination,
might have provided a bit of pace that would have
allowed a deeper development of the sisters and their
escapades.
Kate
Fisher does an admirable job as Jo March, the elder
sister who wants to write—actually be published, since
she is a prolific writer whose works no one seems to
want to read.
Ms.
Fisher has a strong voice and presence that allows her
to carry off her very demanding role in which she is on
the stage longer than any of the other characters.
The
other sisters, Renee Brna, who plays Meg , Gwen
Hollander, who plas Amy, and Autumn Hurlbert, who plays
Beth, fittingly compliment the special relationship
that evolves over the years among the sisters.
The
transitions between various activities move a bit fast,
leaving us to wonder what happened between the periods
of time that shaped the relationships not only among the
sisters, but among others. Some sort of narration could
have helped, perhaps in the voice of Jo or even Ms.
McGovern.
But,
any attempt to take a classic from pages to stages is a
bold move. This is not a play with big production
numbers, but is instead a story of lives set against a
backdrop of a time when manners and style dictated the
pace of life.
It is a
family show and, as noted, a great chance to introduce
children to theater and American classics. So pack up
the kids, go to the Fox, and let your children be
carried away in the time machine that is created by the
wonderful sets and costumes.
