THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, playing a short season at the Reginald is … well … bellissima! The cast of students from the Sydney Uni Musical Theatre Ensemble (MUSE), a fine Company now in its 13th year of theatre making, have really done their home work to make an entertaining, ultimately satisfying night at the theatre. There are couple of great central performances, some fine ensemble work, an excellent orchestra and an evident depth of enjoyment in presenting this unique and unusual musical.
We meet American Clara Johnson who is a grand tour of Italy with her mother Margaret. In a piazza in Florence in the 1950’s, Clara’s hat is whisked off her head by an errant breeze. It lands at the feet of Fabrizio Naccarelli and as he returns it, a silent bond is formed, and from then on these two Innamorato (Italian for sweethearts) become the focus of the play.
Margaret is fiercely protective of her excitable and naturally bubbly daughter and of her daughter’s secret. That is until she comes to understand the power of young love. Fabrizo’s family, who are torn at the heart, also have healing lessons to learn from the lovers.
Respected composer and lyricist Adam Guettel took his inspiration from a novella by Elizabeth Spencer. It had been previously been made into a film in 1962 which did not have a strong critical reception despite a stellar cast of Olivia de Havilland, Rossano Brazzi, Yvette Mimieux and George Hamilton. The 2005-2006 Broadway production however garnered many awards, including for the score and orchestrations.
Written with a very operatic style, the score has challenges but this cast is up for job. They have obviously worked hard to assimilate all the Italian of the libretto, the southern accents and the halting English of a non-native speaker. The ensemble work is well achieved and each performance has truth. And there is some real talent as the show’s bedrock.
As Margaret, Zara Stanton has such a lovely voice. She carries each note beautifully. In Dividing Day she has an opportunity to explore her range and it is pitch perfect. Those low, rich, almost oratorio words carry as well as higher parts of her range. And her acting is terrific. Her inhabitation of the guilt ridden mother is in every movement and look. Stanton has the added burden of all the asides to the audience. In the text they can sometimes be both too many and too jarring. Stanton and Director Josh Davies have explored the humour and subtext of Margaret’s asides to make them at once entertaining and expository.
Phoebe Clark as the childlike Clara has a difficult task in keeping the character light, open and believable without ever slipping into cliché. She does an excellent job both vocally and in the way she imbues Clara with the girlish enthusiasm which contrasts so well with the episodes of confusion. In Clark’s interpretation we fully accept that Clara has the strength to stand up for her herself and her love and her solo of the title song is wistful and evocative.
As the besotted Fabrizio, Gavin Brown is charming and handsome; energetic and excitable. Again under the hand of a skilful director, his solo Love to Me makes use of his strong physicality and precise tenor to power the song. They make a lovely couple and have appealing rapport. Their voices blend so well together and their duet Say It Somehow is passionate and gentle.
As the Fabrizio’s father Curtis Goding is also excellent vocally with a clear character. As is his brother, Guiseppe, played by Logan McArthur. In fact the whole family have a strong presence and believability.
The orchestra is 18 strong. I was expecting the 4-5 instrument version but instead we are treated to lush strings, varied percussion and tight control over the score by Conductor Harry Collins with Musical Direction by Alexander Mau. The electric piano amp did sometimes drown out the delicate harp and violin but the pizzicato of the cello in “The Beauty Is” was wonderfully atmospheric.
The setting is simple and the choice to strip away any set towards the end of the show is an intelligent adjunct to the story’s climax. The costume design has some very strong elements. Not just the allusion to period features but in the way they describe the characters.
The severe one colour strip of Margaret’s wardrobe contrasts subtly with the colourful and petticoated outfits for Clara. The latter looking so much as though the childlike Clara had picked these herself.
It is a shame that the show’s season at the Reginald Theatre at the Seymour Centre is so short.
LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA is closing on Saturday 31st October. Final performances are tonight and Saturday night at 7.30pm. Booking- https://boxoffice.seymourcentre.com.
I hope that you find the time to see it. It’s “uno spettacolo favoloso”!