We review the classic musical ‘The Fantasticks’ in San Jose.
The 1960 musical’s plot hasn’t aged well, but the music remains timeless
The rules for “The Fantasticks” have always been simple: As the narrator, El Gallo, tells us from the start, this is a play, these are the characters and this is the situation. It’s the story of a boy, a girl and the fence that divides them. Nothing in this piece is designed to be literal — snow, rain and that fence are all just ideas. A mute actor pushes the story forward. Three large, foliage-lined arches dominate the space. And a trunk at stage right houses any props necessary to propel the action in this 1960 musical, built around Tom Jones’ book and lyrics and Harvey Schmidt’s nostalgic music. Guggenheim Entertainment’s newest production of the much-performed musical at San Jose’s 3Below Theaters and Lounge is entirely faithful to the play’s original vibe. But while the production certainly includes components that remind us why the show has achieved such lofty status in its 60year history — and director Scott Evan Guggenheim’s staging is solid and clean — the script has not always aged well. It’s a relic of a book that provides warmth aplenty, but also some moments modern audiences may find problematic. The show begins with a lovely rendition of signature song “Try to Remember,” a tune that frames the entire show. The five principals introduced in this moment include dastardly El Gallo (Stephen Guggenheim), the Boy’s mother Hucklebee (Krista Wigle) and the Girl’s father Bellomy (Jackson Davis), and sweet, young lovers Matt (Jackson Glenn) and Luisa (Annie Hunt), along with the Mute (Isai Centeno). The silly plot is musical theater comfort food. The parents want their children to fall in love, so they pretend to engage in a Montague-Capulet-style feud, reasoning that children will do the opposite of what they’re told. What they don’t know is Luisa and Matt are already secretly in love. With the help of El Gallo, the parents agree to have Luisa abducted so Matt can save her. And El Gallo gets an assist from old actor Henry (witty Stewart Slater) and his sidekick Mortimer (energetic and jovial Rick Haffner). Setting aside the obvious — we’re not sure child abduction would play well in any era — the biggest issue is with Jones’ outdated script and some of the lyrics. Take “It Depends on What You Pay,” which includes the line: “An abduction done with Indians: a truly charming sight.” Also cringe-worthy: A character does a hand-over-mouth Indian war cry — and having the same actor do his curtain call in a feathered Native American headband is a poor choice. That said, the hallmark of this production is its musicianship. Stephen Guggenheim, who doubles as the music director, possesses a rich, deep timbre. He’s mesmerizing in that opening number and commands the stage in other moments, elevating the vocalizations of everyone who sings around him. The velvety smooth vocal blends among the five leads is divine. Glenn and Hunt often lift each other up in the many duets they share, including “Soon It’s Gonna Rain” and “They Were You.” Wigle and Davis charm the pants off everyone in “Never Say No” and “Plant a Radish.” The vocalists are assisted greatly by the musicians — pianist Tom Tomasello and harpist Ruthanne Martinez — on a solid set designed by Julie Engelbrecht. “The Fantasticks” script may not always play perfectly, despite Jones’ tinkering with the show even years after its debut. But the music is timeless.