Photo by David Ross Whiteley.
Romantic Poetry is billed as “a crackpot musical romance”. True to the musical genre, the plot is an excuse to tie together many songs with clever lyrics between interstices of comic dialogue via an unlikely plot. An overabundance of improbabilities may strain suspension of disbelief, but if the singing, choreography and acting are really good, should we care?
Fred (Andrew Galligan) loves Connie (maybe). Connie (Kate Smith) loves Fred (maybe). They’ve just married, each for the third time. But the wedding reception reveals how little they know each other. Connie eats with her hands, French kisses her new father-in-law and steals the priest’s car. Fred is deeply superstitious, believing in omens, witches and prophecies. His passion flags when he learns that Connie’s background matches his aunt’s prophecy of doom.
Their train wreck of a wedding night is crashed by Mary (Allison Harris), the honeymoon organizer of the hotel, delivering champagne and Connie’s abandoned bouquet. On her theory that all couples are stressed on their wedding night, Mary ignores the tumult, gently disarms Connie of a weapon, and suggests they try the hot tub.
Before Mary can leave, another interloper, Frankie (Scott Shepherd) the caterer arrives. Connie’s father has stiffed him for the bill. But before he can pursue his purpose, Frankie sees Mary. Mary sees Frankie. Lust at first sight. They break into song (hey, it’s a musical), showing more passion than the woebegone newlyweds.
Mary and Frankie steal away with the champagne to a neighbouring room, leaving Fred and Connie gaping at their failing relationship.
But Fred has an ace up his sleeve. He confesses to Connie that he wants to be a poet. As we learned in Dead Poet’s Society, the purpose of poetry is to woo women. Exeunt lovers.
Send in the clowns: Red (Ray Besharah) is an unemployed bus driver and Connie’s ex. Carl (Zach Counsil) is an unscrupulous lawyer who negotiated Red’s divorce. But Carl has a secret: he faked the divorce. Red is still Connie’s husband.
And so the farce begins.
So much talent on stage. The whole cast sings, acts and dances well. Allison Harris sings a real barn-burner in the second half. Kate Smith has a sultry cocktail lounge solo. Andrew Galligan barely needs a microphone when he sings (his mic failed at one point during a quartet). Harris and Shepherd have several fine duets, as do Galligan and Smith. Besharah and Counsil’s comic duets are a joy, right down to their jazz hands. The harmonies throughout are delicious. As for the big fight scene … no spoilers, folks!
The young band members (Rachel Gain, Cameron Grant, Christine Hecker and Gavriel Swayze) are strong and well-rehearsed under Steven Lafond’s musical direction.
Director Dave Dawson has a track record of finding unexpected depth in lesser-known works (Paco V Put to Sleep, Bat Boy the Musical, The Last Goddamned Performance Piece, The Root of All Squares). He pulls together some fine ensemble work here.
O, gentle reader, I hear you thinking: “There’s a ‘but’, isn’t there?”
Yes. Playwright John Patrick Shanley gave us Doubt, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea and Moonstruck. When Doubt played The Gladstone in 2009, the atmosphere was electric. The audience was on the edge of their seats.
The dialogue and lyrics in Romantic Poetry are clever and witty. The acting, singing and musicianship are top notch. A wonderful array of talent. This should be no surprise. These are people who brought you Paco V, The 39 Steps, The Rocky Horror Show, and Die, Zombie, Die! (for example).
But Shanley has higher ambitions for his script than just a cotton-candy musical. Fred and Mary are supposed to be artists representing Beauty in a world that has forgotten poetry. What I find missing is external validation of Fred’s talent as a poet or Mary’s talent as a painter. He writes for his journal. She paints because she likes it. Are they serious? Or do they merely dabble? Fred can put together clever phrases, but he’s no Shakespeare (or even Shanley at his best). Neither of their lovers shows they believe in the talent of these two artists. Without that belief, the miraculous ending strains credibility, even by the loose standards of the musical genre.
If you have any doubt that Ottawa has very talented people, or if you’re fans of the cast members, see Romantic Poetry. But don’t expect more than a pleasant evening of humour and song.
Romantic Poetry by Black Sheep Theatre is playing at The Gladstone Theatre until Feb 20, 2016. Adult tickets are $34 (including HST). Senior tickets are $30. and Student/Artist tickets are $20. For more info or to buy tickets, click here.
