Nevermore
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Cititour.com Review
“Attend the tale of Edgar Poe.” While these words don’t begin Jonathan Christenson’s “Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe,” now getting its New York premiere at New World Stages, this highly imaginative, mostly sung-through look at the 19th-century author certainly owes some stylistic debt to Stephen Sondheim, not to mention Tim Burton and Julie Taymor.
Told by what we are led to believe are a band of traveling actors who meet Poe (the vaguely creepy if highly sympathetic Scott Shepley) on his fateful last ride home from Richmond, Virginia, “Nevermore” covers many of the significant details of the author’s fairly short, miserable life: the early death of his vain actress, Eliza Poe; his semi-adoption by the kind (but ultimately insane) Fanny Allen and her harder-hearted husband Jock; his disastrous stint at college, derailed by lack of funds and a fondness for gambling and booze; his later marriage to his young cousin “Sissy”; and his ups-and downs in literary society. Oddly, Poe’s actual body of work gets short shrift; many titles are mentioned, but only “The Raven” is given a full-fledged musical treatment.
While you can learn a lot about Poe’s actual life on Wikipedia, Christenson’s presentation is far more engaging than anything on your computer screen. His music ranges from pop-like ballads and witty theatrical recitative to the sort of haunting, hummable melodies found in the shows of Cirque du Soleil. Production designer Bretta Gerecke’s sliding door set is minimal, but her eye-popping array of black-and-white costumes is simply dazzling (although you may never think about a black-and-white cat in the same way again!)
But what truly makes “Nevermore” work so well is its remarkable ensemble of six players, each of whom brilliantly inhabit over a dozen supporting characters, sharply delineating each one, and each blessed with expressive acting technique and stunning voices. Each performer has a standout moment as well: Shannon Blanchet as Poe’s teen love, Elmira Royster; Beth Graham as the sweet-natured Fanny; Lindsie van Winkle as the shatteringly vain Eliza; Gaelan Beatty as Edgar’s optimistic older brother Henry; Ryan Parker (perhaps the strongest singer of the group) as Poe’s mentor-turned-enemy, editor Rufus Griswold; and Garrett Ross as the often-terrifying Jock.
There’s no denying this admittedly overlong show (which originated at Canada’s Catalyst Theatre) may wear out its welcome to some theatergoers long before its conclusion, many will find “Nevermore” to be a mostly captivating experience.
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
http://nevermoreshow.com
Open/Close Dates
Opening 1/25/2015
Closing 3/29/2015
Theatre Info
New World Stages
340 West 50th Street
New York, NY 10019
Map
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