Review: Candide at 5th Avenue Theatre
The Leonard Bernstein’s arts festival celebration, honoring his life and music, has been in full swing for a few months now with many different offerings in Seattle. Candide is the second Bernstein production at the 5th Avenue Theatre.
This 5th Avenue production is terrific with a cast including Laura Griffith, Stanley Bahorek and Seattle’s own David Pichette and Anne Allgood in the leading roles. Directed by David Armstrong with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Richard Wilbur, this version of Candide is by John Caird which was staged at the Royal National Theatre in 1999.
Leonard Bernstein was a brilliant renaissance man who was able to do it all; from a music conductor to composing music/lyrics that seemed to soar and linger in your mind. From what I have read about him he was a passionate and complex man. His body of work is huge and wonderful. I remember seeing the film West Side Story for the first time at fourteen years of age in Omaha, Nebraska and I wanted to move to New York city but instead I went out and bought the album from the film.
Candide is passionate and a challenge of a play to bring to the stage. It is a musical masterpiece that tells the comic and dramatic adventures of a young man, Candide, played by Stanley Bahorek, as he travels the world in search of his one true love. His true love is Cunegonde, played by Laura Griffith, and from their first song together, “Oh Happy We”, you just know, happiness is not right around the corner for these two.
Candide is inspired by a short satirical French novel by Voltaire in 1759, during the Age of Enlightenment. So, Candide in the household of the Baron has been taught along with Cunegonda, her brother Maximilian played by Mike McGowan the joy and wisdom of “optimism.”
Taught by the Dr. Pangloss/Voltaire, played admirably by David Pichette in this dual role. His teaching is thus “Everything the best in the best of all possible worlds.” I know, you see it coming, don’t you? Candide travels the world looking for his lost love and along the way his teaching of optimism is tested, this is a Voltaire play after all, but with one disaster after another.
This is staged very well with a large cast that is first rate, with David Pichette as the guide and storyteller for those who do not already know the story. Most probably already do since the recording of the original cast has never gone out of print and is a cult favorite. And here’s an incredible chance for you to see this favorite live on stage.
Candide plays at the 5th Avenue Theatre through June 13, 2010. For more info and tickets, visit www.5thavenue.org.
– Ethel W.
