"Double Feature"
Choreography by Susan Stroman
New York City Ballet
New York State Theater
New York, NY
February 2, 2008
by Susan Reiter
copright © 2008 Susan Reiter
At just about the midway point of its eight-week repertory season, New York City Ballet programmed a week of Susan Stroman's 2004 "Double Feature," as though to offer a bit of fluffier fare amid the (mostly) more serious programs, and perhaps to give those dancers not cast in this charming two-parter a bit of a rest. Clever, entertaining and lusciously designed, this affectionate, often witty nod to silent film retains most of its original cast and delivers sufficient delights to merit its periodic return to the repertory. But as on previous viewings, the longueurs of the first half, "The Blue Necklace," made one wish Stroman had once more cast her generally astute theatrical eye over the material and tightened it to give audiences a more direct and involving entree into the drama.
Once past the smart, elegant opening number -- 16 lovely ladies in stylish black costumes evoking a big let's-wow-'em number from vaudeville's heyday -- into which Stroman weaves the travails of Dorothy Brock, the theater's star dancer who's secretly with child -- "The Blue Necklace" bogs down for a while. The series of brief scenes through which we learn what follows for her and her baby are too heavily dependent on the silent film-style titles that are projected to illuminate the narrative. (And not everyone can always read them in the vast New York State Theater, as several people at my performance revealed at intermission.)
Happily, once we get to the point where Dorothy's daughter Mabel is ten years old and trapped as a Cinderella-like drudge within the Griffith family, Stroman is in her element, illuminating character through dancing that -- while never particularly demanding or innovative by NYCB standards -- melds seamlessly with the delicious Irving Berlin melodies and is consistently clever and often witty. To the jaunty rhythms of "Let Yourself Go," Mabel (the winning Skyla Shreter) demonstrates her innate gifts as a dancer while dusting and cleaning. The moments when, accompanied by subtly darker moments in the music, her hard-hearted adoptive mother enters to survey her progress and make sure she is not slacking off, and Mabel nimbly shifts from entrechats and leaps to wiping the floor, are expertly timed, and through this scene we understand who Mabel really he is and the world of limited hope in which she is confined.
"The Blue Necklace" gently mocks, but also wistfully evokes, the simplistic melodramas of an earlier era and follows their template of good triumphing over evil and deserving characters finding a happy ending. Along the way, the now post-pubescent Mabel (Ashley Bouder, taking over from Shreter in Stroman's simple but very effective coup de theatre) gets to dance a dream ballet with the suave movie star (Damian Woetzel) whose exploits she follows in the movie magazines, and a conveniently discovered key allows her to attend the high-society party at which she claims her birthright, finds her mother after all those years, and efficiently embarrasses nasty Mrs. Griffith and her obnoxious, clueless daughter Florence (Megan Fairchild) in whom she instilled a misguided sense of entitlement.
These later scenes of "The Blue Necklace" move along much more gracefully, and while the ensemble at the party gets pretty bland stuff to do, the leads get a chance to express details of personality and motivation through their dancing, and achieve a darned satisfying payoff at the end. Bouder, Woetzel and Megan Fairchild, in their original roles, gave vivid, buoyant portrayals, with special kudos to the latter two for their hilarious duet in which she tries to pass herself off as Dorothy's daughter but her complete ineptness gives her away. Woetzel was a worthy Gene Kelly-esque hero, dancing with creamy bravura and pulling out all the stops with his pirouettes.
Savannah Lowery, new as Mrs. Griffith, captured the role's clipped severity, but one missed the depth of characterization Kyra Nichols brought to the role, suggesting (but never overplaying) the woman's deep desire to transcend her working-class existence and capacity to do anything, and push anyone aside, in pursuit of the finer things. Maria Kowroski, the original Dorothy, again danced with expansive flair and skillfully evoked a glamorous star's confident poise as well as the melancholy and shame she carried with her until the climactic family reunion.
"Makin' Whoopee," the evening's second "feature," is an expertly crafted, briskly paced bauble that insouciantly blends delightful whimsy with cartoon silliness. Tom Gold, as its busy (at times hyperactive -- the role must be a killer) hero, Jimmie Shannon, perfectly embodies the Buster Keaton qualities of his hapless character. The role was made for him and it's an ideal showcase for his brio, puppyish adorableness and deft timing. Tiler Peck, new as Anne Windsor, the girl to whom he just can't manage to propose, brought a saucy verve to their vignettes of unfulfilled proposal scenes across the four seasons, but one did miss the winsomeness of Alexandra Ansanelli in the role. At times, Peck just seemed just too sensible and grounded to put up with such an unreliable suitor.
But fortunately for the ballet, Jimmie obviously holds his place in this Anne's heart, despite his shenanigans, so that the requisite happy ending is ultimately achieved. But along the way, there is the nonstop hilarity of Jimmie's desperate search for the bride he must secure by sundown in order to gain a huge inheritance. The five women he encounters -- and ineptly woos -- in quick succession in Central Park are adorable cameos covering a range of character types. They were perfectly embodied by Stephanie Zungre, Amanda Hankes, Rebecca Krohn, Rachel Piskin and Teresa Reichlen (who let loose with leggy abandon as the louche Flossy, until her macho husband appeared to cut short her fun).
Adding to the antic merriment were Amar Ramasar and Robert Fairchild, as Jimmie's cocky, loose-limbed law partners and idea men, to whom Stroman gave some snappy showcase moments. The scene-stealing little dog, who cavorts through is assigned bits with perfect timing, is another asset. And then, as the ballet's equivalent of an 11 o'clock number, there is the brilliantly staged, madcap attack of the brides, as several dozen potential wives (more than a few portrayed good-naturedly by men) first arrive, with increasingly hilarious effect, to fill up the church pews before exploding into an all-out chase that criss-crosses the stage. It is set to a wonderfully crisp, increasingly frenzied, arrangement of "Yessir, That's My Baby."
The musical selections play a major role in making "Double Feature," which returns in the spring season, the fun ride that it is. All credit is due to Glen Kelly's arrangements and the orchestrations by Doug Besterman and Danny Troob.
Photos by Paul Kolnik: Top: Ashley Bouder; Bottom: Tiler Peck and Tom Gold
