Charles Dickens, a man who was obviously paid by the word, may have inspired the development of Cliff Notes, but he knew how to spin a plot. A Tale of Two Cities, a Broadway musical that will open this Thursday night, captures the heart of the story and the audience with an exceptionally strong performance by James Barbour as Sydney Carton, drunken lawyer turned romantic hero. Barbour's terrific voice is no surprise, but that's only the beginning. He makes the character's unlikely moral u-turn credible and handles a handful of critical comedic lines with perfect timing and tone - self-loathingly straight, with a dash of boozy irony.
The show is not perfect. Your attention may drift as you enter the stretch run in a long first act. The abstract tree overhanging the outdoor scenes may start to look more and more like a mutant spinach leaf. Hang in there. Enjoy the hulking presence of Craig Bennett as Cruncher, grave robber and loyal body guard. Savor the bitter fury of Natalie Toro as Madame Defarge, keeping score and demanding vengeance from the barricades. Fear not citizen, the second act will reel you in and send you home with that Broadway feeling.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Glad you enjoyed the show!
Post a Comment