Quantcast
Channel: Arts Archives | Blogcritics
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 72

Theater Review (Broadway): ‘Death Becomes Her’ Is Riotous Fun

$
0
0

Death Becomes Her

Based on the Universal Pictures film of the same name written by Martin Donovan and David Koepp and directed by Robert Zemeckis, the musical Death Becomes Her pulls out all the stops and strikes gold. Occasionally ribald, mostly raucous and riotous, Christoper Gattelli’s fast-paced direction keeps all the balls in the air, letting the one-liners fall fast and furious.

Starring as sensationally wicked frenemies, Megan Hilty as Madeline Ashton and Jennifer Simard as Helen Sharp belt the funny lyrics with antic, spot-on hilarity. The production with book by Marco Pennette and music and lyrics by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey screams farce at its best. Currently at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, it runs until May 25.

Scintillating and shimmering in an other-worldly gown of sequins and sparkles, alluring Michelle Williams (of Destiny’s Child) beckons us in her opening number as the hypnotic, supernal Viola Van Horn. Ironically singing the impossible and illusory “If you Want Perfection,” she presents the theme of the fascist, physical ideal. However, in a mortal body, perfection reeks with lies.

Nevertheless, presenting half-truths and selling her serum of agelessness, Viola eventually tricks frenemies Madeline and Helen to join her rare club “Siempre viva” (always alive). Unbeknownst to each other, both women join Viola’s club at different times. Similarly, both mistakenly believe the serum will keep them youthful forever.

The ‘Forever Young’ Conceit

Like the film, the overriding conceit of the musical involves the subject which has plagued womankind for millennia. How might one keep one’s looks and youthfulness with the least amount of torture? For actress Madeline and washed-up actress and aspiring book writer Helen, appearance has been paramount. Unfortunately, Helen “let herself go” more than Madeline, who revels in her own narcissism (“For the Gaze”) and keeps up appearances. On the other hand after Helen left acting, she stays out of the limelight and pursues a quiet career. To her, appearance matters much less.

Nevertheless, the women who have known each other since school days still engage in competition and emotional and psychological warfare to one-up each other.

Michelle Williams, 'Death Becomes Her'
Michelle Williams and cast in Death Becomes Her (Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)

Initially, after we meet Madeline, it looks like Helen has won (“That Was Then, This is Now”). Recently engaged, Helen’s love, Dr. Ernest Menville (the excellent Christopher Sieber), accepts her for herself, flaws and all. Dragging fiancé Ernest (a doctor to the unfortunate) with her, Helen attends Madeline’s theatrical performance. Helen hopes to make Madeline green with envy, using Dr. Ernest. However, Helen’s plan backfires. Within the span of a few days, jealous Madeline at her lavish apartment gets Helen drunk and steals him away from her “best” frenemy (“Tell Me Ernest”).

Time Jumps Ahead Without Warning

In a time jump, we watch shocked as Madeline, not Helen, marries Ernest in an LOL televised wedding featuring a soundbite ad for Snapple and an opera singer. With self-absorbed flourishes, Madeline has rewritten their wedding vows. Instead of Ernest repeating them, a male opera singer sings Ernest’s vows with undying devotion to Madeline. Indeed, anyone watching would believe Madeline marries the cute opera singer and not the bespectacled, nerdy Ernest. Meanwhile Helen parachutes in, interrupts the wedding and has to be dragged away screaming. An upset Madeline sees her wedding ruined.

Though Helen warns Ernest about the treacherous woman he just married, oblivious Ernest happily affirms his vows (“Til Death”). As the farce progresses Ernest’s vows (“‘Til Death Reprise”) turn sardonic and alcoholically fueled funny, thanks to Sieber’s impeccable portrait of the henpecked milquetoast.

Helen Vows Revenge

To recover, Helen ends up in a asylum where she obsesses about avenging her pride and destroying Madeline (“Madeline”). Sitting with little scenery and props in a therapy session, Simard inhabits the role of the masochistic, victimized Helen with superb organic humor. Hilty’s Madeline gives her the sadistic narcissist’s one-two punch every time. Importantly, the script has drawn their characters with equivalent, farcical malice that underscores each woman’s fatal weakness. With the director beautifully shepherding the authenticity of their fury at each other, the humor explodes in all of these scenes building to a crescendo.

Thus, we understand the compelling sadomasochistic bond cementing the two in their symbiotic relationship. They feed off each other’s maliciousness to live, reveling in aggressive competition. Likewise, we delight in their wordplay of jabs, barbs and witty insults which seem boundless. Truly, they love to despise each other and the resulting, sardonic humor with a twist satisfies. We note the macabre workings of the worst of human nature, exploited by the entertainment, medical, and advertising industries, which divide women and compel them to compete like vicious, egotistical hyenas.

(L to R): Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard in 'Death Becomes Her' '(Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
(L to R): Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard in Death Becomes Her (Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)

10 Years Later Helen’s Revenge Is Ready

In another time jump, what Helen predicted to Ernest, that Madeline would show her true colors and devour him, happens. The “used up” Ernest throws over his good works and converts to becoming Madeline’s personal plastic surgeon. Meanwhile, Madeline’s marriage and career turned upside down reveal an old has-been. Because she can’t get film work or plum theater roles, she grows desperate (“Falling Apart”). She seeks something different because the surgery no longer keeps her young. In the truly wonderful “Siempre Viva” Williams’ Viola Van Horn and her “Immortals” seduce the panicking Madeline to drink the forever potion. In a sensual number with beautiful bodies lithely moving to Gattelli’s sinuous choreography, Madeline indulges her lust to be young again.

At the high point of Act I, Helen erupts on the scene looking exquisite in a dazzling, off-shoulder red gown that complements her hair and luminous white skin. (Kudos to Paul Tazewell’s costume design, Charles LaPointe’s hair and wig design, and Joe Dulude II’s makeup design). Recalling their love to Ernest, formerly frumpy Helen sweeps him up in the fabulously funny “Let’s Run Away Together.” As Helen employs her wiles, Ernest cheats on Madeline with Helen. Ah, revenge is sweet!

Christopher Sieber in 'Death Becomes Her' (Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
Christopher Sieber in Death Becomes Her (Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)

Ernest’s Buyer’s Remorse

Clearly, Ernest has had buyer’s remorse. Though he initially disavows murdering Madeline, he allows Helen to sway him. Indeed, Helen insists that with Madeline alive, she’ll be a thorn in both their sides. Madeline must die. However, Madeline’s recent immortality makes their murder plot an impossibility. In the “Confrontation” the catfight becomes a cataclysm as brutality tops brutality. Thanks to Gattelli’s staging and choreography, as well as Cha Ramos’ fight direction and Tim Clothier’s illusions, Hilty and Simard pull off a memorable spectacle that manages to be funny, wild and amazing. Act I ends on a breathtaking, laughter-rollicking note.

But can Act II top Act I? You’ll just have to see this wonderful production to decide for yourself. Key to Act II is how Helen and Madeline ignore Viola’s warning to “take care” about their bodies. Additionally, the contract they sign has contingencies they must follow. Last, they mistakenly conflate youthfulness with immortality. In Viola’s weird world the conditions run in opposite directions.

Death Becomes Her: Farce with a Purpose

Death Becomes Her sends up the countless fantasies and illusions that our culture places on women as moral imperatives. Beauty and youth as Helen and Madeline pursue them are sacred. The verities of life and real love pale by comparison. Indeed, Viola’s world of gorgeous, youthful flesh has duped them. Ironically, they behave and act for each other, not for themselves. Apart from each other, they have no strong inner core of values or identity. However lost they are, they have eternity to discover their true selves.

The production is made glorious by all the intricate technical parts fused together. It is a must-see just for the uproarious fun of it. Justin Townsend’s fierce lighting design, Peter Hylenski’s sound design, and Derek McLane’s shimmering and minimal scenic design hit the spot. Praise is due to Paul Tazewell’s wild, beautiful, plunging neckline costumes. Orchestrations by Doug Besterman, Ben Cohn’s music direction and Mary-Mitchell Campbell’s music supervision make the pop score complement the broad campy scale, farcical tone and atmosphere of the musical.

Death Becomes Her at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th St.), two hours thirty minutes with one intermission.

The post Theater Review (Broadway): ‘Death Becomes Her’ Is Riotous Fun appeared first on Blogcritics.


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 72

Trending Articles