Theater Review by Carol Rocamora . . . .
When was the last time you shed tears of joy upon seeing an elephant?
It happened to me at last Wednesday’s matinee when a life-sized one named Rosie appeared on Broadway.
Did I say Broadway? That’s right, I did—on a theater stage! And what brings the audience to cheers and tears is the thrilling artistry that conjures up Rosie in the miraculous new musical, Water for Elephants, now playing at the Imperial Theatre. First her ears, then her trunk, then her giant limbs (all four of them), and then voila!—all her parts are assembled into one fabulous, giant creation! As manipulated by the most talented ensemble of dancing/singing acrobats (aka “kinkers”) on Broadway this season, Rosie brings the house down with her star entrance and triumphant trumpeting. What an Act I finale!
Indeed, the entire show of Water for Elephants is a miracle of collaboration (book by Rick Elice, music/lyrics by Pigpen Theatre Co., based on the novel by Sara Gruen), with all the artistic elements aligning into a sparkling constellation.
Water for Elephants tells the story of Jacob Jankowski (Grant Gustin), a young veterinarian student, set during the Depression. Traumatized by his parents’ sudden death in a car crash, he hops a train and meets a traveling circus called The Benzini Brothers, who hire him for a day’s work. He is quickly appointed to be the circus vet by the company’s impresario August (Paul Alexander Nolan), an aggressive businessman and ruthless boss, prone to violence. The financially faltering Benzini circus needs a new money-making act, so August buys an elephant and enlists Jacob to train her, recognizing Jacob’s gift for talking to animals (in Polish, no less—a trick he learned from his veterinarian father). Marlena, August’s wife (Isabelle McCalla), becomes attached to Rosie, and soon an attachment also forms between Jacob and Marlena, who is frequently abused by the violent August. The resolution of that love triangle (Jacob, Marlene, August) is the driving force of the play that escalates to a violent climax in Act II and a moving conclusion, as narrated by an older Jacob (Gregg Edelman).
Which artistic element deserves first mention? They are all so praiseworthy. Takeshi Kata’s scenic design, in collaboration with Shana Carroll’s circus design, features a pair of metal structures representing the cars of a moving train (the play’s thematic motif), on which we meet the young Jacob in his first encounter with almost two dozen circus artists (all amazing). Later, a full circus tent appears before our eyes, conjured up in an instant. Under Bradley King’s spectacular lighting, it is awash in glowing red, highlighting David Israel Reynoso’s sparkling circus costumes.
And the fabulous circus animals! Following the succession of Broadway shows featuring puppets/animals (Lion King, War Horse), this time designers Ray Wetmore & JR Goodman and Camille Labarre add a thrillingly imaginative component. From the very first appearance of an orangutan (played by Alexandra Gaelle Royer) to a score of circus animals (giraffe, tiger, ostrich, lion) to Rosie herself, the puppet designers use the technique of attaching animal parts (a head, a trunk, etc.) to the bodies of the agile, acrobatic company members. One of the most breathtaking and imaginative creations is Silver Star, Marlena’s favorite horse. Silver Star consists of a beautifully designed white horse’s head, with its body played by the amazing dancer/acrobat Antoine Boissereau. When Silver Star dies onstage, we witness another miracle—the horse’s soul ascending upward to heaven, as represented by Boissereau climbing upward on a circus rope, entwined in a billowing white sheet. The image, and his performance, are unforgettable.
The marvelous, multi-talented company of actors/dancers/singers/acrobats deserve special praise, beginning with Caroline Kane, Paul Castree, Michael Mendez, Charles South, and Sean Stack, who bear the biggest burden of “playing” Rosie, assembling her body parts before our very eyes. As for the rest of this gifted ensemble, Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll have created a circus-themed choreography for them—on the floor, in the air, on hoops, on ropes (“the works”)—that will take your breath away. Speaking of the leads, Grant Gustin is a moving younger Jacob, with a mellifluous voice and graceful movement (he sings his last number while swinging from a rope over the audience!). Isabella McCalla is the lovely, multi-talented singing and dancing Marlena. And, as the older Jacob, Gregg Edelman tells the story with deep feeling and humanity. As Barbara, a member of the circus ensemble, Sara Gettelfinger offers a belting, bluesy vocal talent.
Of special note is the work of director Jessica Stone. Her primary directing experience has been with dramas—and though her most recent credit is the Tony Award-winning musical Kimberly Akimbo, it has a small cast and nowhere near the number of challenging, complex artistic components that Water for Elephants has. Stone’s directing, coordinating, and coalescing these multiple elements into a work of beauty, is a great achievement—culminating in the violent riot scene in Act Two where Rosie goes wild and the entire circus is thrown into chaos (under Bradley King’s sensational lighting).
Kudos to Pigpen Theatre Co. and their varied, tuneful score—a lovely combination of jazz and country, arranged skillfully by Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Benedict Braxton-Smith. Memorable numbers include “Zostan” (which in Polish means “stay,” calming Rosie), and “The Road Don’t Make You Young,” expressing the theme of the traveling circus. The moving train is the uniting metaphor of this moving musical. “Nowhere to Nowhere,” is how the Older Jacob describes his peripatetic life with the circus, in retrospect. “The circus is the ride,” he says, speaking of his life.
Who knew that The Greatest Show on Earth would be the greatest show on Broadway this season?
Water for Elephants – The Musical. Open run at the Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th Street, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue). www.waterforelephantsthemusical.com
Photos: Matthew Murphy
