Two plays and one production.
Falsettos, which runs from April 23 to May 12 at the Daniel Spectrum Theatre is composed of two musicals, produced a decade apart being performed together. March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland were produced together on-Broadway under the title Falsettos in 1981 and throughout the 1990’s. It is now being produced by the Daniel Spectrum Theatre in Toronto with original scripts, unedited, and constructed as different plays with the same cast.
Falsettos follows the story of a father and divorcee named Marvin (played by Stephen Patterson) who struggles to maintain some semblance of family after leaving his brainy son Jason and wife Trina for a hunk of a man named Whizzer. The crux of the play is how these characters deal with complex situations, and do it with a sense of life that keeps the play from being another heart-wrenching melodrama. It’s advertised as a “family musical”, in the sense that it has values and life.
The staging in the first act never really takes life until a sexy tango between Marvin and Whizzer a few numbers in. Actors suddenly explode with energy and really show how well they can move.
The production value of the show is astoundingly high. I was impressed with how the production elements work, with lighting that was impressive enough to tell the story on its own. Additionally the sets, props and costumes were proved to be rich and creative.
The second act is a remarkably different play. Written ten years after the original, the writers were able to create a show that is not only meaningful – but heartfelt and endearing.
The design also takes a different direction in the second half with a raised circular stage. The set pieces are carried on by the actors and because of this, the stage always seems to be moving. There is never a dull moment, yet every emotional beat is rich with depth.
The characters within the second act balance their problems with joie-de-vivre and humour, much appreciated after the darker first act. The family is preparing for Jason’s Bar Mitzvah, and Marvin finds himself trying to plan it with his ex-wife, with whom he is not on the best of terms. Two new lesbian neighbours add dimension and a sense of community to the play.
The play has what could seem like a rather melodramatic ending, but I assure you the overall tone of the production is hopeful and heartwarming. Falsettos proves to be a breath of fresh air in the midst of the usual political and dense dramas, and one that makes you stand a little straighter and grin as you head back home.
Marcus Bernacci
Contributor
