Dan Myers
Robert Goderich plays the fabulous nightclub diva, Zaza.
There’s no denying it: A really great drag show is a lot of fun. As the lyrics suggest in the titular song of La Cage Aux Folles, “Go for the mystery, the magic and the mood … It’s bad and beautiful, it’s bawdy and bizarre.” Parts of Music Theatre of Madison’s production of the Tony-winning farce definitely live up to that promise. Running through Feb.13 at Five Nightclub, the musical also offers some poignant moments about the true definition of family and the value of being authentic, onstage and off.
Sequins, feather boas and sassy divas strutting their stuff abound in La Cage’s stage show, which, according to the dashing compère Georges (Douglas Swenson), is the best on the French Riviera. And the undisputed star of the show is Georges’ longtime love, Albin (Robert Goderich), a stunning chanteuse who goes by the stage name Zaza. This well-matched showbiz couple may squabble, but their devotion to each other is unquestionable — until Georges’ son Jean-Michel (a fresh-faced Ethan Larsen) arrives home with disturbing news: He is engaged to marry his girlfriend, Anne (a lithe and lovely Lauren Gruber). What’s more, her father is the head of the Tradition, Family and Morality Party, an ultra-conservative religious group with the goal of closing down clubs like La Cage, who decries homosexuality as an abomination. When Jean-Michel begs his father to act like a “normal” parent when the families meet and hide the perpetually flamboyant Albin from his future in-laws, heartbreak and mayhem ensue.
Just as Albin is the emotional heart of this untraditional family (he considers himself much more Jean-Michel’s mother than Sybil, his perennially absent birth mom) Goderich’s radiant portrayal of the sensitive, often-demanding diva is the emotional center of the play. A veteran of many local and national operas and musicals, Goderich fills the room with his rich, warm tenor and positively glows in the spotlight.
As Georges, Douglas Swenson is suitably torn as the man caught between his love for his partner and for his son. He harmonizes beautifully with Goderich as they sing about their relationship and their current predicament. More convincing as the charismatic master of ceremonies at the club, Swenson rarely matches the passion of his co-star and, at times, comes off as a disengaged husband.
As the heterosexual youngster Jean-Michel, Larsen has a fine voice, but his portrayal is blank and utilitarian.This is unfortunate, because he also has the thankless job of playing the self-centered son whose renunciation of his mother is so heartless that it’s hard to care about his prospects for marriage at all.
The family butler/maid Jacob (opera veteran J. Adamon Shelton) pops in regularly, displaying myriad grand gestures and comic caricatures to keep the action of the play moving.He steals virtually every scene he’s in. His easy, confident performance stands in contrast to many of the Cagelles, the bevy of drag beauties who populate the club’s chorus. As the dominatrix Hanna, Daniel Pietrangelo is graceful and entrancing, but the others cannot hide their awkward moves under any amount of feathers and rhinestones.
The tentativeness of much of the cast compounds the slow tempo of the show, particularly in the second half where the farce is supposed to take hold. Actors mug for laughs between lines instead of picking up the pace, which leaves many comedic moments decidedly flat.
Music Theatre of Madison has been experimenting with performing in non-traditional spaces this season, a decision that provides both opportunities and challenges. Both were in evidence at Five Nightclub. There might be no better place to stage a musical about a drag show than on a pre-built stage in a gay nightclub. The cabaret seating was already in place. Patrons can easily order drinks and appetizers from the bar before the show, and an amazing number of disco balls are already installed. A runway from the stage juts into the audience space to ensure that all patrons have a good view of the entertainers at different points of the show.
However, the postage-stamp main stage is not large enough for scenes that feature more than three characters. Scene changes are cumbersome, and there aren’t any great seats to get a full stage picture. With low ceilings, appropriate lighting is a challenge, and on opening night the sounds system had significant glitches. The most distracting factor, however, was that the club was still open to regular patrons during the show, and the ambient noise from the rest of the bar was intrusive.
Still, there are bright moments in this production, including Goderich’s performance of “I Am What I Am,” and the rousing anthem, “The Best of Times is Now.” But as in a nightclub cabaret, some parts of the act are more polished and entertaining than others.
Note: Since this review was filed, Five Nightclub has agreed to close the bar to regular patrons during MTM's performances, so ambient noise should no longer be an issue.
