Jacques Brel' & 'Wife After 40' doing wellSharp, poignant songs and snappy choreography. These are highlights of MMAS' production of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.
The show is a musical revue featuring 24 songs by Brel, a Belgian-French singer songwriter who died in 1978 at the age of 49. He composed mostly in French but his work has been translated here by American poet Eric Blau and lyricist Mort Shuman.
The result is an evening of diverse music, from ballads to tangos to rock which examine the themes of love, war, broken dreams, societal classes and death. Each song tells a story.
For students of musical theater, the show has a number of little known gems that make excellent character songs for auditions.Brel?s songs have been translated and recorded by such varied artists as David Bowie, Dusty Springfield, Frank Sinatra, Rod McKuen and The Kingston Trio.Interpreting his songs for this production are Rachel Parkman of Foxboro, Shannon Manley of Wrentham, Brian Gustafson of Attleboro, Patrick Murphy of Plainville, and Laura Desmarais of Attleboro.
This quintet under the musical direction of Mel Springer creates tightly blended harmonies that delight.In addition, each performer is spotlighted in a number of solo and duet performances that challenge each of them to bring Brel?s intense images and words to life in the arc of their musical story.In ?Funeral Tango? Gustafson sings the story of a dead man commenting on the behavior of people who have come to his funeral. His comic timing brings the song alive. Gustafson also brings his comedic and acting chops to ?Next,? a song about a young soldier who loses his virginity in a mobile army whorehouse. What starts as a seemingly light discussion of the turnstile nature of the event, eventually takes a dark turn exploring the aftermath of the experience.
He balances the transition well.Parkman?s interpretation of ?The Old Folks,? is gentle and poignant. Delivered sitting atop a bar singing in a clear, crisp voice, she tells the story of two senior citizens living out their days. The delivery allows the genius of Brel?s writing to come alive.Parkman also shines in the fast-moving ?Carousel? where she is joined by the rest of the cast.The choreography by Marianne Lonati, though limited to several of the group numbers, is fun, energetic and inspiring. In ?Carousel? cast members move to simulate the round-the-world nature of the amusement park ride, while also moving up and down as though they were also riding the attraction. As the song speeds up so does the choreography adding a fun element to the song.
Desmarais sings a heartfelt rendition of ?Ne Me Quitte Pas,? while Manley rocks the house with ?My Death.? Murphy also delivers a strong performance throughout the show.
Jacques Brel Alive and Well and Living in Paris MMAS Black Box Theater 30 Crocker StreetMansfield, MA
(508) 339-2822
Runs Fri & Sat at 8pm and Sun at 2pm thru April 13.
BY LOUISE TETREAULT
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