Review: Brother Russia At Signature Theatre

I have never sat through a more unoriginal, original musical than Brother Russia.  If you are confused by that conundrum, than I don’t recommend seeing Signature Theatre’s production of this world premiere musical.

 

The show has one praiseworthy attribute and it’s this: the plot is completely original and not based off of source material.  After that, it is all downhill.

 

Brother Russia is a rock musical about a traveling Russian Theater troupe led by a mysterious emcee known as Brother Russia.  The show starts with Brother Russia addressing an audience (not us), who we later learn doesn’t exist, explaining that before his stage career he was better known by the name Rasputin.  Yes the same Rasputin who catered to Russia’s last royal family, the Romanovs. 

 

Brother Russia instructs the troupe to reenact his life story using his narrations as the stage directions.  The show is his indulgence, as is made quite clear in Act II.  But by now though, one mention of Rasputin, and I should have seen the problems coming. 

 

Rock musicals are full of infamous troublemakers narrating stories.  There is Che in Evita and Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar.  Both characters serve as antagonistic narrators who advance the plot.  The character of Brother Russia has obviously studied Che and Judas’ techniques, using them to influence Brother Russia.  By now the technique seems labored and exhausted.  Midway through Act I the audience is already thinking, “Haven’t I see this somewhere before?”

 

And this explains the show’s overall problem, a lack of artistic originality.   Brother Russia seems like a patchwork of musical and plot techniques from other rock/pop shows.  Pippin, Chess, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar all seemed to have influenced the show’s creative team.  Each scene, each moment, even many of the songs were reminiscent of these works. 

 

One example was the song “The Great War” in Act II which explains Russia’s involvement in World War I.  It’s a catchy tune, and the staging is cheeky.  But, the problem is that it felt like a hybrid of the “Rainbow Tour” from Evita and “The Corrupt Bargain” from Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.  When I see a new work, I don’t want to be reminded of something I saw several shows ago.  I want to be inspired and captivated.

 

Last week, I wrote that Brother Russia was my most anticipated musical of the spring, simply because it was a brand-new original musical.  How ironic that it was anything but that. 

 

For more information on Brother Russia, or to purchase tickets, please visit: http://www.signature-theatre.org/

Notes From the Stage Door: Saturday, March 22nd Edition

This is a new feature for MarqueePolitics, but starting today we’re going to be emailing the best news stories you have might have missed from the previous week.  Notes From the Stage Door will be a mixture of articles from the worlds of theater and politics and will be must read items for your weekend.

Obama’s evolution: Behind the failed ‘grand bargain’ on the debt

The Washington Post

And so it begins the race to shape the Obama legacy.

I love process stories, because I feel that we, the audience, get a rare peek behind the curtain.  This story covers the debt deal that almost was and provides a unique vantage into the governing style of President Barack Obama.  I’ll concede that no story is perfect; some facts aren’t 100% correct, still it makes for juicy reading!

The Villain

The Atlantic

As Americans, we have a way of casting people as either heroes or villains.  But sometimes, what if a person is neither?  That’s what this Atlantic article begs asking about Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, someone who is controversial and yet helped stave off a financial collapse in 2008.

Cell Free: Coping with violators of the no cell phone rule

Rock Center on NBC

We’ve all been there.  That crucial moment in a show when…a cell phone rings.  As an avid theatergoer, I person believe these people should be sent to the stockade.  Still, this Rock Center story details how actors cope with this ever growing annoyance.

Don’t Cry for Her, Argentina; She Landed the Big Role

The New York Times

Evita is my all-time favorite musical and I couldn’t be happier that it is FINALLY being revived on Broadway.  Yet, I’m even more thrilled that the producers decided not to stunt cast the role of Eva, and instead hired a genuine actress who can bring a touch of star quality to the production.  Elena Roger is an Argentine actress, making her Broadway debut as Eva.  This is an interesting profile about the politics, emotion, nationalization and acting behind her portrayal of Argentina’s former First Lady.

Critical Hit Gatz Returns to the Public Theater March 14

Playbill

Ok, so this is a week old, but still relevant and timely.  This has to be one of the most ironically innovative theater concepts, and yet I’m so intrigued.  You’ve heard of staged readings of plays and musicals, but a dramatic staged reading of literary classic.  It was a first for yours truly.  Still, if you’re in New York City, be sure and check out this production.  Gatz features a dynamic cast of actors reading F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece.

 More information on Gatz maybe found here: http://www.publictheater.org/component/option,com_shows/task,view/Itemid,141/id,1048

Ok DC, my answer….

With Cherry Blossoms reaching full bloom this week, it’s also worth mentioning that the DC theater scene is also at the pinnacle of its spring season as well.

So as promised, here’s my response to what I’m most excited to see in DC this spring!

Brother Russia – Signature Theatre

The world premiere of an original…hold it, that word “original” has already got me buying tickets.

Last week, I lamented about the lack of original works on Broadway.  With DC, that’s not the case with my first show, Brother Russia. An entirely original, all new musical, is receiving its world premiere at Signature Theatre.  I’ve written and praised Signature Theatre before as my favorite regional theater, but the anticipation for this show only adds to their good deeds.

Brother Russia is about a Russian theater troupe who decides to perform a musical about Brother Russia, also known as Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin.  This is the very same Rasputin who seduced a Russian Tsarina shortly before the Russian Revolution.  The show features a heavy rock score by John Dempsey and Dana Rowe, the writers behind the politically-charged musical The Fix.

In a brilliant marketing ploy, Signature emailed five demo tracks from Brother Russia to recipients on their mailing list hoping to generate buzz.  Those tracks peeked this blogger’s interest in Brother Russia, motivating him to buy tickets.  Regardless, this is a world premiere, a chance for audiences to see something before the rest of the theater world gets their say.  And who can resist that!

1776 – Ford’s Theatre

A few months ago, I wrote that the 1969 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, 1776, was the perfect accompaniment to this election year.  Well DC, turn off your iPods, because Ford’s Theatre is performing a brand new revival of this historical classic.

Set in the early spring and summer of 1776, 1776 retells the story of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson as they seek to move the colonies towards independence.  1776’s ingenuity is that the show weaves politics, romance and philosophy throughout a score that ranges from rants to faux operatic ballads.  The show is political without being preachy, and educational without being boring.

If you’re still deciding whether or not to see the show, rent the classic movie starring William Daniels (yes Mr. Feeney from Boy Meets World).  The movie is direct adaption of the stage version, and will give you a flavor for the show.

For more information on Brother Russia please visit: http://www.signature-theatre.org/shows/brother-russia

For more information on 1776 please visit: http://fords.org/event/1776

What I can’t wait to see!

A blonde first lady turned diplomat, the contest for the #1 spot on a presidential ticket, and a sinner trying to save a political or is it a religious messiah…..And who says life doesn’t intimate the arts when it comes to politics.

Too often I’m asked, “What are you looking forward to seeing on Broadway?”  So in response: here is what I’m most excited to see in New York City this spring!

Gore Vidal’s The Best Man

Even if the Republican Primary season does not end in a divided convention, politicos can still get their thrill will this season’s revival of Gore Vidal’s The Best Man.  Set at an unnamed political convention, The Best Man focuses on two political leaders fighting for their party’s nomination.  Each man has something to hide, and something to fight for.

Aside from the political drama on-stage, this production is populated with high-caliber stars of stage and screen.  Angela Lansbury, James Earle Jones and Candice Bergen lead this cast and unlike the election season, this revival has a limited run of 18 weeks.  Another positive!  No PAC ads or annoyingly faux political commercials!

Evita

Critics love to assault Andrew Lloyd Webber shows as nothing more than mere spectacle and yet the composer’s best show is anything but that.  Evita lacks dancing cats, roller-skating trains, and crashing chandeliers.  What the show does have are brilliant lyrics by Tim Rice, an imperial score which seduces the heart and the most dynamic leading female character in musical theater since Mama Rose in Gypsy.

Much of the buzz about this revival is focused on the actress playing Eva, Elena Roger.  Ms. Roger hails from Argentina, and it was her performance in the 2006 London Revival of Evita which sparked this production.   One also cannot downplay that Evita, a show about a politician’s manipulation of the media, will be playing during an election year.  To read more on that click here!

Jesus Christ Superstar

It always amazes that a show so universally known as Jesus Christ Superstar, has never been properly staged?  “What do you mean,” you ask.  Granted while Superstar has been staged by countless high schools, theater camps, regional theaters, and several Broadway revivals, no production has ever fully captured the rock opera’s spirit.  Till now…

This Broadway revival is coming direct from the Stratford Shakespeare Festival where it was cheered by critics, and most importantly Tim Rice, Superstar’s lyricist.  The show questions whether Jesus was the actual messiah or just the first media superstar.  Regardless, I’m curious to see if this production can finally match the emotional pull of the brilliant original concept album.

Quick Note: You’ll notice than none of these shows are original works, they are all revivals.  While these productions will be great, it’s a sad statement that Broadway is so lacking in original works that revivals are the shows that generate buzz.

For more information on Gore Vidal’s The Best Man please visit: http://thebestmanonbroadway.com/

For more information on Evita please visit: http://evitaonbroadway.com/

For more information on Jesus Chris Superstar please visit: http://www.superstaronbroadway.com/

Next week I’ll address the DC productions I’m looking forward to seeing the most!