‘Anastasia’ is romantic at PPAC
Historical romance retains the magic from Broadway run
Musical based on Russian royals is a visual treat
PROVIDENCE – “Anastasia,” the touring version of the musical currently on an open-ended run on Broadway, is a big, fluffy, sparkly, gorgeous-looking, nice-sounding romantic saga.
It tells the tale of the youngest daughter of the imperial Romanovs who may or may not have survived her family’s massacre by Bolsheviks in 1918. Nine years after that event, a pair of con men finds an amnesic girl working as a street sweeper, clean her up “My Fair Lady/ Pygmalion”-style, and try to pass her off as the real Grand Duchess Anastasia in order to collect a reward offered by her grandmother, an expatriate living in Paris.
For the sake of this story, there are enough coincidences and “found memories” to suggest this young woman just might be the real deal.
Proof, however, isn’t required. What’s more important is whether or not the boy gets the girl, because that’s what this show really is about. There is effort to parse out a message about believing in yourself and to create emotion surrounding the grandmother’s hope Anastasia is alive, but the musical basically contents itself with the love story.
That accounts for the fluffy and romantic bits. What sells this production is the look and the sound. “Anastasia” benefits from effective use of projections that create the backdrops to the action.
The opening scene is inside a palace where a snowstorm falls gently outside oversized windows. It’s very pretty, but that’s just the start. Still to come are remarkable looks at St. Petersburg, aglow at night; an archive with floor-to-ceiling file draws that may hold clues about Anastasia; and a bridge in Paris that looks solid enough for actors to walk across it. Most remarkable is a train ride that creates passing scenery.
These projections are amazing, but to be honest, they sometimes overshadowed the live actors.
Bringing our attention back to the cast, however, are some good voices. Lila Coogan as Anya, the street sweeper and possible Anastasia, has a powerful delivery that is made for the musical-theater stage, and she can take it from high to lower ranges. Performances by her co-conspirators, Dmitry (Stephen Brower) and Vlad (Edward Staudenmayer), are a bit uneven, but most of the time they’re melodic and musical.
Although there is dialogue, most of the show is sung, and that’s why Lynn Ahrens’ lyrics are so important. She tells the story in concise rhymes and word play, describing, for example, post-revolution Leningrad as a place where walls have ears, and “He who argues, disappears.” Later, Dmitry and Vlad encourage an insecure Anya by singing, “Pull yourself together and you’ll pull through.”
Pleasant melodies by Stephen Flaherty turn up throughout the score, including “In My Dreams,” Anya’s internal query about her past, and the recurring tune that a music box plays. An orchestra of keyboards, reeds, brass and strings provides rich, emotional accompaniment.
One more thing worth noting are Linda Cho’s opulent costumes befitting the Russian aristocracy in 1917; faux fur and sequins are used with abandon on fabrics in shades of royal blue, red and icy white.
“Anastasia” is not burdened by anything like a history lesson or deeper meaning. But it is a sweetly romantic tale – and definitely a visual treat.