THE HANGOVER REPORT – GRAND HOTEL glitters darkly, seductively once again via Encores!

Irina and James Snyder in Encores! revival of "Grand Hotel" at New York City Center.

Irina Dvorovenko and James Snyder in Encores! revival of “Grand Hotel” at New York City Center.

Last night, I caught Encores! fabulous revival of Grand Hotel, The Musical. The show first opened on Broadway in 1989, and the word on the street was that it was a hot mess. Although its out-of-town tryout was a notorious disaster (I guess that’s why you have out-of-town tryouts), it eventually opened on Broadway at the then Martin Beck Theatre in slick, focused form. Directed and choreographed by the legendary Tommy Tune and featuring a score by George Forrest and Robert Wright, the original production of Grand Hotel was and remains one of the great integrated musical theater productions – an intoxicating, supremely stylish intersection of music, dance, and drama that could only exist onstage.

Under director/choreographer Josh Rhodes, the current revival of Grand Hotel does the memory of the original staging proud. Mr. Rhodes pays homage to Mr. Tune while creating a version of the musical all his own. The revival’s depiction of Weimar-era Berlin is dark and seductive, but through a lens of nostalgia. It’s a tonal balance that the musical has always struggled with, but Mr. Rhodes and his inspired team have mostly succeeded, delivering a heightened, atmospheric production that dazzles. It’s an outstanding accomplishment, especially for a production that has had limited time to get on its feet.

Even if the cast doesn’t erase the memory of the original company – which featured a memorable Tony-winning turn by the late, great Michael Jeter, as well as a young Jane Krakowski – the Encores! assembly is terrific. Led by James Snyder and Brandon Uranowitz as men living on the edge of their lives in their respective ways, the current cast glitters. Helene Yorke (in the Krakowski role) and Irina Dvorovenko (as a fading ballerina) are also giving fine, affecting performances. Oh, and the full onstage orchestra under the baton of Rob Berman played Maury Yeston’s accomplished score lusciously.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

 

GRAND HOTEL, THE MUSICAL
Off-Broadway, Musical
Encores! at New York City Center
1 hour, 50 minutes (without an intermission)
Through March 25

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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