Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Company XIV’s sexy, playful CINDERELLA seduces

• By drediman
• October 14, 2015
• No Comments

Company XIV has in recent years made a name for itself by turning safe, well-worn classics (like their naughty Nutcracker adaptation, Nutcracker Rouge, and their new production of Snow White later this season) into adult hybrid creations – they playfully mix burlesque, cabaret, dance, circus arts, and vaudeville to create a theatrical brand that is uniquely their own. Their new Cinderella, which I saw last night at the Minetta Lane Theatre, is no exception.

The fearlessly committed, multi-talented cast is a sight to behold, especially in Zane Pihlstrom’s creative, flesh-baring costumes. I particularly enjoyed Davon Rainey and Steven Trumon Gray’s layered, dangerous interpretations of the Step-Mother and the Prince, respectively. Oh, and Marcy Richardson (playing one of the step-sisters) has a pole dance aria in the third act that needs to be seen to be believed. In the title role, Allison Urlich is appropriately sweet, but her performance lacks the complexity of some of the others in the cast. Perhaps this is by design; the show ends on a bittersweet note with Cinderella alone onstage realizing that the whole thing – her prince, the ball – was just a dream (very reminiscent of Alexei Ratmansky’s ending for his Nutcracker for ABT). Indeed, it’s hard to believe that a prince as richly decadent and sensuous as Mr. Gray’s would fall for a good girl like her. And although Company XIV’s tried-and-true number-by-number vaudevillian formula aligned perfectly with the revue-like nature of their previous shows (Nutcracker Rouge comes to mind), its limitations are more apparent in more plot-heavy shows like Cinderella. I’d like to see them employ a more seamless, organic approach to storytelling in the future.

Lastly, I applaud Company XIV for creating an immersive club atmosphere out of the Minetta Lane’s traditional proscenium setup that effectively breaks the fourth wall (thanks in large part to Jeanette Yew and Devin Cameron’s bold lighting choices). It’s an excellent compromise from the intimate, cabaret club-like space on Lafayette that they brilliantly activated last season but lost this season (Austin McCormick, the company’s artistic director and founder states in the program, “Our sincere hope is find and open a venue in NYC that can be a home to our unique brand of immersive theater and that supports our creations with booze and food” – my hope, as well).

RECOMMENDED

CINDERELLA
Off-Broadway, Musical / Dance / Cabaret
Company XIV at the Minetta Lane Theatre
2 hours (with two intermissions)
Through November 15