REVIEW — With Jane Austen’s “Emma the Musical” and “The Play That Goes Wrong,” the Utah Shakespeare Festival has returned to the solid ground that made it famous by eschewing the shaky choices of recent years.
Fans of the Bard will have to chime in on the quality of its titular works this season, but as for these productions, both earn a hearty “huzzah!” and an unconditional recommendation.
That’s because, while devoted fans of Jane Austen have never demanded a musical, the festival’s version of her novel “Emma” will easily convince both the author’s purists and more than a few doubters with its old-fashioned melodies brimming with pop sensibilities.
While the book, music and lyrics by Paul Gordon (“Daddy Long Legs,” “Jane Eyre”) may lack the sweeping melodies popular in musical theater, songs like “I Made the Match Myself” allow the frequent musical soliloquies to shine and keep the focus on the sweetly simple storytelling.
Allie Babich sparkles as Austen’s heroine Emma Woodhouse, who fancies herself the flawless matchmaker but who in fact causes chaos wherever she meddles. Seemingly channeling Julie Andrews by way of Kate Winslet, Babich handles the talky and seemingly relentless vocal requirements beautifully, so despite her character’s rather spoiled nature, we can’t resist her.
Some Austen fans consider “Emma” to be her most comedic effort, and director-choreographer Valerie Rachelle’s sprightly vision emphasizes both in blocking and casting the often hilarious material. Consider Emma’s protégé and object of her frequently bungled schemes, Harriet Smith. Laura Brennan’s take on her is fun and quirkily expressive, and she practically steals the second act with her rendition of “Humiliation.”
With equal aplomb, Rhett Guter, so entertaining last year as the Pirate King in “Pirates of Penzance,” makes Emma’s admiring antagonist Mr. Knightley’s barbs resolutely charming. And that’s a good word to describe the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s presentation – wonderfully charming from the jump, with delightful Regency-era costuming and a radiant garden visual design to support the winning cast that proves, when in the right hands, Ausen’s inestimable work is as fresh as ever.
Now, for those who don’t want to expend much effort to enjoy a live theater presentation, the relatively new “The Play That Goes Wrong” is the show to see. Created by the British (of course) trio of Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, this play-within-a-play scored major awards and has already spawned several similarly-themed stage productions and even a television series.
The structure is an offshoot of the murder mystery comedy where the audience gets to witness the opening night of “The Murder Mystery at Haversham Manor,” and even before the show begins, it’s clear things aren’t going to go well. It takes a little time to get the mayhem rolling, but this production has only one goal: to make you laugh loud and long as the rapid-fire gags, pratfalls, prop-fails, punchlines and character breaks conspire to tickle the funny bone.
Low-brow comedy of this nature is easy to perform if the performance standard is broad and less thoughtful. But it’s a tribute to Director Geoffrey Kent and his perfectly chosen cast and its seemingly boundless energy and terrific timing that the show finds new ways to provoke out-loud laughter even from those already familiar with the production. There’s a set collapse sequence late in the show that might be one of the most rousingly funny scenes ever performed on a Utah Shakespeare Festival stage.
One complaint about this show, aside from a few bits that are repeated too frequently, is the decision to give the show a momentum-killing intermission. This seemingly unnecessary interval, unless there’s an unknown technical reason, and some second act routines that could be tightened up, prevent the production from being a potentially perfect 90 minutes of comedy gold. Despite this flaw, the show likely will be the hit of the festival’s 2023 season, and it’s a welcome return to the festival’s ability to showcase pure and joyous entertainment.
Where: Randall L. Jones Theatre at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, 299 W. Center St., Cedar City, Utah.
Tickets: $30 to $91, with discounts for groups, students, locals and seniors; 800-PLAYTIX (800-752-9849) or the Utah Shakespeare Festival website – runs through Oct. 7, in revolving repertory with other shows.
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