THE HANGOVER REPORT – Roundabout’s riotous revival of THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM is a total hoot

robberAn unadulterated good time is to be had at the Laura Pels Theatre, where the Roundabout’s revival of Alfred Uhry and Robert Waldman’s infectious The Robber Bridegroom is now bringing down the house eight times a week.  This production marks the first major New York revival of the musical since the original production in 1975. The musical is based on a short story by Eudora Welty which tells the story of Jamie Lockhart, a dashing two-faced loner who’s a stand-up citizen by day and a mysterious outlaw by night. However, when he falls in love with the beautiful and resourceful Rosamund, his world goes topsy-turvy. The bluegrass score by Mr. Waldman and Mr. Uhry (who provided the music and lyrcs, respectively) is a tune-filled gem that just keeps on giving, and it sounds vibrant as played by the lively onstage band. Mr. Uhry’s book supplies just the right light touch, enabling the production to exude an almost improvised quality.

The revival is helmed by the wunderkind director of the moment, Alex Timbers. His inspired direction here harkens back to his work on Peter and the Starcatcher (which he co-directed with the late, great Roger Rees) and Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson in its gleeful, scrappy storytelling and riotous irreverence. Mr. Timbers is aided by an ace design team (set by Donyale Werle, costumes by Emily Rebholz, and lighting by Jake DeGroot and jeff Croiter) and choreographer (Connor Gallagher). In the title role, Stephen Pasquale lets loose and proves that he’s a gifted comic actor in addition to possessing one of the most gorgeous musical theater baritones around (can we get him as Billy Bigelow sometime soon, please?). In the role of Rosamund that put a young Patti LuPone on the map, the sweet-voiced Ahna O’Reilly is beguiling, giving us just the right combination of naïveté and knowing cunning. The tireless Leslie Kritzer as Salome, it has to be said, is giving, along side Disaster’s Jennifer Simard’s Sister Mary Downy, the comic performance of the season.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

 

THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM
Off-Broadway, Musical
Roundabout Theatre Company at Laura Pels Theatre
1 hour, 30 minutes (without an intermission)
Through May 29

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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