Honk! (Alan Hall, Front Row Center)Music and a Twist Add Wonders to the Old "Ugly Duckling" Story, in "HONK!" Even though the shows only run three days each week, they perform two shows each Saturday as well as a Friday evening performance and a Sunday matinee. Shows run Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2. And since “Honk!” is one of the few true Kid’s shows to come along in a while, this is a perfect show for the whole family, at times that fit any schedule. The writers of “Honk,” composer George Stiles and writer Anthony Drewe, have expanded the tale a bit to include a wider variety of characters, from a goony gaggle of geese to a fine-feathered TV anchor named Maggie Pie, who plasters the story of the “Ugly Duckling” all over the airwaves via KWAK-TV. In this tale, Ugly, our protagonist (John Arnold), gets lost after a narrow escape from the Barn Cat (Matthew-Jason “M.J.” Willis) and spends three seasons trying to find his way home. Meanwhile, after a two-week wait for him to show, Mama Duck, Ida (Heidi Johnston) decides to go look for him, leaving Drake, her hubby (Brett Wilson), to tend the other four of her brood (“The Joy of Motherhood;” “Every Tear a Mother Cries,” “Different”). The rest of the cast is played by a corps of people who do a variety of roles. Wilson himself plays three: in addition to Drake, he plays Captain Greylag, squadron leader for a V-team of geese, in a terrific Cockney accent (“Wild Goose Chase”); and, in a cameo role that rocks the house, he plays Bullfrog, in a role he was born to play, and does it smashingly, “Warts and All.” The barnyard is the center of Act I; Act II is the Great Wide World, which includes The Old Woman’s Cottage, marshland, an open field, and the countryside in winter, in a terrible snow storm. While Ugly is hunting for home, he is also growing up; unfortunately, he is also being pursued by the Cat, who is obsessed with making our poor little swan a tasty meal. See, Ugly is the biggest little duck Cat has ever seen (“Play With Your Food”). The team in the barnyard also plays a variety of roles in the World. Maggie Pie, for example (Margaret Jeffreys Shouse), the TV host of the barnyard, also plays Penny, a young swan that Ugly frees from being tangled in fishing wire. Ugly, seeing this beautiful swan, falls instantly in love (“Now I’ve Seen You”). The ages of this cast also run the gamut, from the littlest ducklings to the Old Woman and the Old Farmer. But they combine in voice that makes this 22 song libretto a hit, particularly when creating scenes difficult for a stage, such as those underwater (“Hold Your Head Up High”) and those under snow (“The Blizzard”). The entire barnyard also joins in its opinion of what a poor little UGLY duckling this bird is (“Look At Him”). There are some very good scene changes as well as use of the entirety of the Gaddy Goodwin Theatre, which includes the walkways and entries and exits all over the theater. Most of the set is painted on sheets, which makes for very quick changes and some very fine artistic work. In addition, some terrific dance numbers also excite, such as the tango-esque pairing of Queenie (Kate P. Bowra) and our diabolical Cat (“Together”). My favorite part of this musical is that the cast makes the most of the often-monstrous puns that fill this play, even when it seems at its saddest. The play is full of them, and it makes an old punster like myself just plain proud. While the show is a fine one, it isn’t perfect. The acoustics of the house make it difficult, at times, to hear the singers over the orchestra, if by chance you happen to be sitting on the same side of the house as the band. And not all of the company numbers are stellar; the variance in ages makes for a variance in ability when it comes to dance. But what the cast lacks in skill is made up for with enthusiasm, and while the loud music detracts, the small faux-pas in dance can be forgiven. The interesting thing about this show was not necessarily the different ages onstage; more so it was the different ages in the house. From families with small children, to college daters, to those whose gray hairs outnumber their natural ones, the audience was the most diverse of all. And from the smallest to the tallest, everyone seemed to be getting real enjoyment out of this most energetic performance. This story is, still, about a poor little “duck” who finally comes into his own, and as such, John Arnold does an excellent job in a variety of conditions, from the joy of learning to swim with his mom, to the understanding of betrayal by the Cat, to meeting new “friends,” and finally, falling in love. It is his growth we watch as the play progresses, and he times it exceedingly well. He solos on more than one occasion, and despite the fact that the band does smother him from time to time, he never lets it get him down. “Honk!” runs throughout the month of March every weekend. Ticket prices are $11 adults and $7 students. For reservations and more information call the RLT box office at 821-3111. http://hometown.aol.com/theonlyarhall/reviews.html You are here: Home > Reviews and articles about the theatre's productions > Honk! (Alan Hall, Front Row Center) |