Cabaret Scenes Theatre Review - Glimpses of the Moon

Take a pretty, but impoverished, flapper who meets a cute, but impoverished, fellow, and watch them figure out how to get rich in 1922. Add some vo-dee-oh-do-doh costumes, tuck in some tunes, get six talented kids, and let it play out at the legendary Oak Room in the Algonquin Hotel. Now that's a jazzy way to spend a wintry Monday evening. So if the Oak Room did not present cabaret until 1939, what's the dif', and that little prohibition thing – applesauce! Glimpses of the Moon has no high aims of realism.

Perky, popular, curly-haired blonde, Susy Branch (Patti Murin) and Nick Lansing (Michael Minarek), a young man about town, are tired of hovering on the edges of their swell pals' lifestyles. Ellie and Nelson Vanderlyn, played by a delightful Beth Glover and Daren Kelly, may not have a loving marriage but they love the life they live in their Manhattan brownstone. Glenn Peters portrays Winthrop Strefford ("Streffy"), and Laura Jordan as Ursula Gillow, both enjoy the high life. They are all generous to Suzy and Nick, keeping the champagne flutes filled and inviting them to ritzy luncheons and swanky hotels. After all, the kids are cute and have good manners, but now they want some razzle-dazzle of their own. Nouveau riche or old riche, they just want to be riche.

So Susy and Nick decide to marry each other, get wedding gifts – that's the important part – and sell off the gifts for an income. Then, at some appropriate time, they'll help each other find financially suitable partners and they'll get a divorce. Each finds a new romance: Nick with Coral Hicks (Laura Jordan), a mousy intellectual who offers him an archeological tour of the Greek Islands. Susy accepts Streffy's proposal; he recently inherited a title, land in England, and lots of money.

Everything is copacetic, except when Susy and Nick fall in love with each other. How does it end? It's your guess.

This bubble and froth actually comes from a book by Edith Wharton, one of her few comedies. With its light-hearted frivolity and sparkling characters, plus some fleeting thoughts on right and wrong, why not add music and present it on a small stage? Commissioned for the Oak Room, John Mercurio composed a score and Tajlei Levis adapted the book and wrote the lyrics. There is a spot in each show for a different guest cabaret singer to perform, "Right Here, Right Now." Guests scheduled have included Liz Larsen, KT Sullivan, Jana Robbins, Susan Lucci, Joyce DeWitt, and Jane Summerhays on the evening I attended.

The regular performers enliven their characters with verve and distinctiveness. Patti Murin and Michael Minarek are appealing young lovers. Minarek took over the role of Nick in mid-February, and while he seemed a bit stiff performing just inches from the audience, he pulled it off, and showed a strong tenor voice.

Marc Bruni smoothly directed the show, and the movement in and out of the small, narrow room works surprisingly well. Nevertheless, bringing a musical to a cabaret venue has its drawbacks. Seeing the actors so close with obvious wigs as they try to ignore the audience, can be off-putting, and the acoustics are not always complimentary to the lyrics. The musical quality is disappointingly uneven, some songs too contemporary, and others indistinctive. Exceptions are "Living in This Modern Age," an upbeat tune that sets up the mood of the show, and "Tell Her I'm Happy," the only evocative ballad. It is sung poignantly by the newly divorced Nelson Vanderlyn. A bittersweet moment depicts the Newport Regatta with "Terrible News," creatively designed with paper boats provided by Deb Gaouette, props designer.

Composer John Mercurio serves as musical director and energetic pianist, and Geoff Burke plays saxophone and clarinet. A few Charleston era dance steps are actually crammed into the cabaret space, thanks to choreographer Denis Jones. Costumes by Lisa Zinni are jazzy with colorful chiffon, furs, frivolous headgear.

Glimpses of the Moon is a nifty glimpse of the charmed life, jazz age style.

Glimpses of the Moon runs at the Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room through March 10, 2008

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
February 18, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org



	Glimpses of the Moon Algonquin's Oak Room New York, NY
Take a pretty, but impoverished, flapper who meets a cute, but impoverished, fellow, and watch them figure out how to get rich in 1922. Add some vo-dee-oh-do-doh costumes, tuck in some tunes, get six talented kids, and let it play out at the legendary Oak Room in the Algonquin Hotel. Now that's a jazzy way to spend a wintry Monday evening. So if the Oak Room did not present cabaret until 1939, what's the dif', and that little prohibition thing – applesauce! Glimpses of the Moon has no high aims of realism. Perky, popular, curly-haired blonde, Susy Branch (Patti Murin) and Nick Lansing (Michael Minarek), a young man about town, are tired of hovering on the edges of their swell pals' lifestyles. Ellie and Nelson Vanderlyn, played by a delightful Beth Glover and Daren Kelly, may not have a loving marriage but they love the life they live in their Manhattan brownstone. Glenn Peters portrays Winthrop Strefford ("Streffy"), and Laura Jordan as Ursula Gillow, both enjoy the high life. They are all generous to Suzy and Nick, keeping the champagne flutes filled and inviting them to ritzy luncheons and swanky hotels. After all, the kids are cute and have good manners, but now they want some razzle-dazzle of their own. Nouveau riche or old riche, they just want to be riche. So Susy and Nick decide to marry each other, get wedding gifts – that's the important part – and sell off the gifts for an income. Then, at some appropriate time, they'll help each other find financially suitable partners and they'll get a divorce. Each finds a new romance: Nick with Coral Hicks (Laura Jordan), a mousy intellectual who offers him an archeological tour of the Greek Islands. Susy accepts Streffy's proposal; he recently inherited a title, land in England, and lots of money. Everything is copacetic, except when Susy and Nick fall in love with each other. How does it end? It's your guess. This bubble and froth actually comes from a book by Edith Wharton, one of her few comedies. With its light-hearted frivolity and sparkling characters, plus some fleeting thoughts on right and wrong, why not add music and present it on a small stage? Commissioned for the Oak Room, John Mercurio composed a score and Tajlei Levis adapted the book and wrote the lyrics. There is a spot in each show for a different guest cabaret singer to perform, "Right Here, Right Now." Guests scheduled have included Liz Larsen, KT Sullivan, Jana Robbins, Susan Lucci, Joyce DeWitt, and Jane Summerhays on the evening I attended. The regular performers enliven their characters with verve and distinctiveness. Patti Murin and Michael Minarek are appealing young lovers. Minarek took over the role of Nick in mid-February, and while he seemed a bit stiff performing just inches from the audience, he pulled it off, and showed a strong tenor voice. Marc Bruni smoothly directed the show, and the movement in and out of the small, narrow room works surprisingly well. Nevertheless, bringing a musical to a cabaret venue has its drawbacks. Seeing the actors so close with obvious wigs as they try to ignore the audience, can be off-putting, and the acoustics are not always complimentary to the lyrics. The musical quality is disappointingly uneven, some songs too contemporary, and others indistinctive. Exceptions are "Living in This Modern Age," an upbeat tune that sets up the mood of the show, and "Tell Her I'm Happy," the only evocative ballad. It is sung poignantly by the newly divorced Nelson Vanderlyn. A bittersweet moment depicts the Newport Regatta with "Terrible News," creatively designed with paper boats provided by Deb Gaouette, props designer. Composer John Mercurio serves as musical director and energetic pianist, and Geoff Burke plays saxophone and clarinet. A few Charleston era dance steps are actually crammed into the cabaret space, thanks to choreographer Denis Jones. Costumes by Lisa Zinni are jazzy with colorful chiffon, furs, frivolous headgear. Glimpses of the Moon is a nifty glimpse of the charmed life, jazz age style. Glimpses of the Moon runs at the Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room through March 10, 2008 Elizabeth Ahlfors Cabaret Scenes February 18, 2008 www.cabaretscenes.org

Glimpses of the Moon

Algonquin's Oak Room New York, NY

Algonquin's Oak Room
New York, NY