Second Chance: Broadway's Cyrano Revival On PBSIf you weren't able to catch the mostly captivating 2007 Broadway revival of
Edmond Rostand's classic
Cyrano de Bergerac, you'll have your opportunity this evening when
PBS broadcasts the
David Leveaux-helmed translation from
Anthony Burgess as part of its "
Great Performances" series.
The main attraction here is clearly
Kevin Kline. Regular readers may recall that I singled out his extraordinary turn in the title role for high praise in my November 6, 2007
SOB Review:
Kline firmly centers the show with his nuanced and understated performance that's breathtaking to behold. Seemingly without effort, he manages one of those rare spine-tingling feats of the stage...
While I wasn't exactly enamored with
Jennifer Garner's Broadway debut, I still gave the show three out of four stars, as well as props to the film and television actress for her critically important final scene. And in a bit of serendipity, the
actress just became a mother yet again just yesterday.
With Kline's "Great Performance" in mind, I would certainly recommend this for your viewing pleasure. PBS' "Great Performances" is scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. EST, but be sure to check your local television listings.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Cyrano de Bergerac, David Leveaux, Edmond Rostand, Great Performances, Jennifer Garner, Kevin Kline, PBS, Play, Revival
Cyrano de Bergerac (The SOB Review) - Richard Rodgers Theatre, New York, NY*** (out of ****)It's more than a little ironic that
Kevin Kline as
Cyrano de Bergerac should exclaim, "My success is only achieved by excess!"
For despite the ungainly prosthesis of the proboscis Kline dons in the title role -- and in spite of
Jennifer Garner's completely over-the-top acting -- Kline firmly centers the show with his nuanced and understated performance that's breathtaking to behold. Seemingly without effort, he manages one of those rare spine-tingling feats of the stage that more than offsets all the other major issues I had with the show, ranging from Garner's considerable egregiously exaggerated excesses, as well as something downright tinny and hollow in
David Van Tiegham's sound design.
Although I was familiar with
Cyrano's story of unrequited love for his cousin Roxane (Garner) and how he aids the equally smitten yet tongue-tied Christian De Neuvillette (a rather benign
Daniel Sunjata) express
both of their love through written and spoken verse, this was my first time ever seeing
Edmond Rostand's classic play performed.
I enjoyed it largely due to Kline's superb performance and
Tom Pye's intoxicating stage design, as well as
Gregory Gale's exquisite costume design and haunting illumination from
Don Holder. If nothing else, it's a sumptuous feast for the eyes.
While
David Leveaux's largely crisp direction makes this
Anthony Burgess adaptation captivating enough -- he certainly motors the show along -- he doesn't seem to make equal demands of his cast. With the exception of Kline,
Max Baker (animated as Ragueneaua, the pastry cook) and
Euan Morton (pitch-perfect in his dual roles as Lignière and Théophraste Renaudot), the rest of the lot borders on the banal.
As Comte de Guiche,
Chris Sarandon comes off as merely one-dimensional -- a villain in name only, incapable of stirring up any real passion. Despite his "pretty face," Sunjata never really shows much charm or comic panache required for the role.
And then there's Jennifer Garner, whose forced performance is so stultifying that you'd be forgiven for thinking she was deliberately trying to be bad. Each overblown gesticulation was upstaged by the type of reading akin to the parodies of the novice actor in a production of Shakespeare. Yes, she's a natural beauty, but it's a mystery why anyone would be attracted to her
after she speaks.
But all of this is rather muted, curiously enough, whenever Kline takes to the stage to add his voice. And in the poignant final moments of the play when Garner
finally seems in tune with Kline's marvelous cadences, electrifying chills swept through me. I was moved by the grace of two actors in concert -- at last -- with each other.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Cyrano Critics Offer Thumbs Down By A Nose (November 2, 2007)
Opening Night By A Nose (November 1, 2007)
Cyrano On Broadway: In-Klined To Garner Success? (August 2, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Chris Sarandon, Cyrano de Bergerac, Daniel Sunjata, David Leveaux, Jennifer Garner, Kevin Kline, Play, Revival, The SOB Review
