AN INCREDIBLE SCORE; A FINE PRODUCTION;
A FUNNY AND POIGNANT FRACTURED FAMILY PORTRAIT;
WHY, THEN, DOES THIS REVIVAL
NOT EMOTIONALLY RESONATE?
Court Theatre and Timeline Theatre‘s joint production of the sung-through musical Falsettos offers a technically superb exploration of a family in flux during the cusp of the AIDS crisis with exceptional vocal talent and crisp, delightfully bright designs, even as it struggles to weave its fragmented narrative into a cohesive emotional journey.
With a book by James Lapine (Into the Woods) and book, music and lyrics by William Finn (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Falsettos chronicles the tumultuous life of Marvin, a gay man who leaves his wife, Trina, and young son, Jason, to pursue a relationship with Whizzer. As Marvin attempts to maintain relationships with both his ex-wife and lover, the musical explores the challenges of this unorthodox family dynamic in late 1970s New York. The story unfolds across two acts — each originally written as its own separate musical — first unpacking how Marvin’s wife and child adapt to his new relationship, and then shifting to confront the emerging AIDS crisis, which dramatically impacts Marvin and Whizzer’s relationship. Through a blend of sharp humor and increasing poignancy, the musical examines love, identity, chosen family, and the devastating early years of the AIDS epidemic, ultimately revealing the resilience and interconnectedness of this unconventional family unit.
Director Nick Bowling assembles a talented ensemble that navigates the musical’s complex terrain with impressive musicality. The immaculate Stephen Schellhardt anchors the piece as Marvin —a deeply flawed protagonist whose self-absorption drives the narrative’s central conflicts. Sarah Bockel shines as Trina, particularly in her tour-de-force number “I’m Breaking Down” which had me laughing myself to tears. But the stand-out comedian in this production is Jackson Evans as Mendel the psychiatrist. Evans squeezes moments of comedy out of his character that many actors would be hard-pressed to find. And Charlie Long, who alternates the part of young Jason with Eli Vander Griend, sings and acts with all the skill and expertise of his adult castmates.
Arnel Sancianco‘s scenic design embraces minimalism, creating a crisp, clean set evocative of the era’s aesthetic that easily transforms into each needed setting. The production’s technical elements — from Theresa Ham‘s era-appropriate costumes to Maggie Fullilove-Nugent and Josiah Croegaert‘s nuanced lighting — aided in creating a stunning stage picture almost suggesting pop art.
However, the production struggles to connect this episodic structure with an emotional through-line. Each scene feels isolated, lacking the connective tissue necessary to create a transformative emotional experience. I feel you should know; this was my first time seeing Falsettos, but I was previously familiar with, and a big fan of, William Finn’s score. Knowing the subject matter, I expected to be very moved, but each scene felt so disconnected, all my emotional energy was spent trying to figure out where the characters had jumped to. One minute we’re in the psychiatrist’s office while he meets Trina for the first time as she vents her feelings about her ex-husband, and the next the psychiatrist is proposing to her. Before I can feel any type of way, I need to understand how Trina is feeling, and it all happened so fast, frankly, I have no idea. In listening to the cast album, I had always imagined something more connecting it all together.
I have long heard that Falsettos will not fail to make you cry, so perhaps it’s just me, or perhaps it was something about this particular production that I’m unable to identify. Seeing Falsettos as a complete piece for the first time, I was expecting something of an intersection of Fun Home and The Normal Heart, which I still think is a fair comparison, but in my, probably unpopular, opinion, Falsettos has none of the emotional gravitas that I adore so much in either piece.
This production also illuminates the musical’s problematic gender dynamics. While the piece is undeniably a product of its time, the rigid masculine-feminine roles in relationships—of course between Marvin and his ex-wife Trina, who he is inarguably cruel to, but also in Marvin and Whizzer’s relationship and in the relationship between the lesbians next door—feel uncomfortably reductive. The more feminine characters in each pair are frequently relegated to domestic spaces in a way that ages this piece considerably.
Despite these criticisms, the production’s musical excellence cannot be denied. William Finn has written a score sometimes reminiscent of the great Stephen Sondheim, particularly his Merrily We Roll Along. It’s not easy to sing, and the entire cast handles it expertly, including Charlie Long who is truly a young professional.
All these things considered, Court and Timeline’s co-production of Falsettos is worth the watch for the musical prowess and historical significance, even if it might not tug at your heartstrings.
photos by Michael Brosilow
Falsettos
Court Theatre, 5535 South Ellis Ave.
Wed thru Fri at 7:30; Sat & Sun at 2 & 7:30
ends on December 8, 2024
for tickets ($56 to $76), call 773.753.4472 or visit Court Theatre
for more shows, visit Theatre in Chicago