Sometimes you come across a production that is difficult to review, because you want the reader to understand it the way YOU do, or feel it and experience it the way you do, and without creating a new telepathic language, words just do not do it justice.
This is the case with the Great Lakes Theater production of “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812,” which not only sets the bar high for innovative, experiential storytelling but also eviscerates that bar. And the moment you enter the theater, you know you are in for something special.
When the show opened off-Broadway in 2012, it was staged with action taking place on and around the circular stage. When it eventually made its way to Broadway in 2015, the production was set on a proscenium stage reconfigured into a twisty, multi-level performance space holding 200 audience seats scattered throughout, and action all through the orchestra section and mezzanine to create the intimacy that this show demands.
Great Lakes Theater’s ‘Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812’ about to hit
It might be hard to imagine how Playhouse Square’s Hanna Theatre, with its classic proscenium stage, could possibly elicit this same intimate vibe, but it does.
From the romantic, curvy set that is redder than red, complete with sexy, swerve-y sofas for lovers to sink into, to the inviting cabaret tables right up against the stage, with actors charming us in the aisles, in the loges and, in some cases, in our faces, this ingenious production team pulls out all the stops to thrust the audience straight into the heart of the story.
Speaking of the story, Leo Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace” hardly cries out, “Please turn me into a musical!” But composer-lyricist David Malloy, a Lakewood native, saw something glimmering under the surface in chapter eight that inspired him to hone in on Natasha’s tragic love story and Pierre’s desperate search for meaning in a world that leaves him empty. Malloy transforms Tolstoy’s words into a one-of-a-kind “electropop opera” that merges styles of punk, indie rock, Russian folk and classical music with lyrics that are tongue-in-cheek, thought-provoking and truly challenging. At times, a character singing in first person will suddenly and seamlessly flip to third person, becoming the narrator of his or her own story.
The cast warns us in the opening number, “Prologue,” that the plot can be confusing, and while they help us with the character breakdown, they also point out that “this is all in your program, you are at the opera, gonna have to study up a little bit if you wanna keep with the plot, cuz it’s a complicated Russian novel, everyone’s got nine different names, so look it up in your program.” And once the foot is on the gas, this production lurches forward, full speed ahead, bounding around every curve and never slowing down until it reaches the finish line.
We first lay eyes on the radiant Natasha as she arrives in Moscow, eagerly awaiting her fiancé, Andrey, to return from the war. As she longs for him, wondering when he will finally be home, she has a bumpy first encounter with her future in-laws and, later, allows herself to be seduced by a handsome rogue named Anatole. She sends Andrey a letter ending her engagement to him and makes plans to elope with Anatole, unaware that he is already married.
Her dear cousin Sonya tries desperately to stop her, and her godmother Marya brands her as a disgrace to the family name. A desperate Marya visits the melancholy loner Pierre in the middle of the night, begging him as a close family friend to intervene in this debacle. Pierre is distraught and reveals that Anatole is already married, and he sets off to force him to leave town, which he does.
Playhouse Square signaling bright future with Marquee Moments
Meanwhile, horrified by what she learns, Marya runs back to tell Natasha, and although she does not want to believe her godmother, Natasha is overcome with sorrow and poisons herself, but she survives. Andrey returns, still reeling from Natasha’s letter breaking off their engagement, and although Pierre pleads with his friend to forgive her in the wake of her attempted suicide, he refuses. Natasha is left completely broken, and it is up to Pierre to put her back together.
He himself is trapped in a loveless marriage to Anatole’s wretched sister, Hélène, and although he is connected to all of the central characters in some way, he prefers to remain an outsider, left alone to contemplate the existence of God in a weary world. When he visits the very fragile Natasha, his gentleness comforts her, and she awakens something within him. After their encounter, when the great comet of 1812 is flying across the sky toward the Earth, Pierre has a rebirth of sorts, as if his eyes are open for the first time.
Victoria Bussert’s gift for innovation and creativity is on full display, and she has assembled a pitch-perfect team to make this “Comet” soar. It is almost a crime to single out any one cast member, as they all are breathtaking in their roles. Their single-company bow is a testament to the fact that they are a true ensemble; some actors play more than one role, some actors play different instruments on stage, and all actors support and elevate each other.
As a teaser for the kind of talent on this stage, Jessi Kirtley and Alex Syiek are stunning as the young, effervescent Natasha, and the brooding, contemplative Pierre. They are out of this world both vocally and emotionally, and Jodi Dominick dominates the stage from the moment she enters, showing strength, as well as vulnerability, and landing every single joke, rightfully earning her some of the biggest laughs. However, kudos must go to this entire Great Lakes Theater cast and crew for creating an epic theatrical experience that must be seen and heard.
You should know that on this particular night, the parking lots filled up very early, which made for a harrowing parking experience. So plan ahead, because you should not miss one single second of this show!
‘Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812’
A production of Great Lakes Theater, it continues through Oct. 8 at Playhouse Square’s Hanna Theatre, 14th Street and Euclid Avenue, Cleveland. For tickets, $20 to $89, call 216-241-6000 or visit greatlakestheater.org.
