Far from Heaven
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Cititour.com Review
If any questions remain why Kelli O’Hara has become musical theater’s most sought-after leading lady, look no further than Playwrights Horizons, where the three-time Tony Award nominee is giving a luminous, ultimately heart-wrenching performance as a 1957 Connecticut housewife in Far From Heaven, the ambitious if not entirely successful adaptation of Todd Haynes’ Oscar-nominated film.
As established by songwriters Scott Frankel and Michael Korie (of Grey Gardens’ fame) in the opening number, “Autumn in Connecticut,” -- one of the primarily sung-through score’s prettiest tunes -- Cathy Whitaker (O’Hara) seems to be living a picture-postcard life, complete with handsome husband Frank (Steven Pasquale), children David (Jake Lucas) and Janice (Julianna Riogoglioso), loyal maid Sybil (the fine Quincy Tyler Bernstine), and a circle of close girlfriends led by the seemingly steadfast Eleanor Fine (the excellent Nancy Anderson).
But Cathy’s world soon crashes in on itself -- first when she discovers Frank is actually living a double-life, picking up strange men, and, later, when her deepening friendship with African-American gardener Raymond Deagan (Isaiah Johnson) alienates her from her conservative neighbors, including Eleanor. Admittedly, Cathy seems surprisingly clueless about how her relationship with Raymond – given a dash too much nobility both by Johnson and librettist Richard Greenberg – will be perceived by her straight-laced community.
Still, one feels acutely how O’Hara’s Cathy sees in Raymond the kindred spirit she desperately needs, even if her chemistry with Johnson seems far more platonic than it should for the plot to fully resonate. Conversely, she and Pasquale – who handles his jazz-tinged songs with an almost frightening ferocity – so deeply connect that you also understand her reluctance to give up on the marriage. If Cathy occasionally comes off us a slightly too passive character, O’Hara nonetheless always has us firmly on her side.
Director Michael Greif hasn’t fully solved how to seamlessly incorporate the melodic yet often less-than-memorable score with Greenberg’s minimal dialogue. Too many of the scenes come to an abrupt halt, lending the entire piece an unsettling stop-and-start quality. (The show would probably work better if it were completely sung-through.)
And especially for those who remember the film’s visual beauty, Allen Moyer’s harsh metallic set and Peter Nigrini’s stamp-sized projections do little to match Haynes’ color-saturated vision. However, Catherine Zuber’s period-perfect costumes, as always, are marvelous – especially in the way her swing coats and dresses disguise O’Hara’s growing pregnancy.
Far From Heaven isn’t near enough to greatness – or commercial appeal – to merit a Broadway transfer, but those who worship intelligent musical theater or the consistently wonderful O’Hara should make every effort to catch the show while they can.
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
http://www.playwrightshorizons.org/shows/plays/far-heaven/
Cast
J.B. Adams, Marinda Anderson, Nancy Anderson, Elainey Bass, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Justin Scott Brown, Alma Cuervo, Korey Jackson, Isaiah Johnson, Jake Lucas, James Moye, Kelli O'Hara, Steven Pasquale, Julianna Rigoglioso, Sarah Jane Shanks, Tess Soltau, Mary Stout, Victor Wallace
Open/Close Dates
Opening 5/18/2013
Closing 7/7/2013
Box Office
212-279-4200
Theatre Info
Playwrights Horizons
416 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
Map
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