LET'S PARTY LIKE IT'S 1847 // A THEATRE REVIEW OF "SONGS FOR THE FALLEN"
Someone once told me, “Life is bloody and it stinks. But there’s ALWAYS Champagne…” That woman was Marie Duplessis, or at least she told me (and the audience) that last night at her Vaudeville/Musical/Baroque on Ecstasy trip of a show SONGS FOR THE FALLEN, currently playing at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. And I can’t think of a better statement to sum up this wonder of an evening. The brainchild of Australian star Sheridan Harbridge, Fallen tells the tale of Marie Duplessis, the French Courtesan who partied, drank, and slept her way into infamy, inspiring “The Lady of the Camellias,” “La Traviata,” and “Moulin Rouge!” to name a few. The setting is Paris 1847 and we are introduced to Marie as she lays atop a bed with two men to her side (and one behind them controlling all the music). She explains that she’s had many famous lovers, Alexandre Dumas being one of the most famous, and she indulged in jewelry, champagne, parties, and sex. She lived life to its fullest, always on full speed. As she was known to say, “It’s not me that dances too fast, it’s the violins that play too slow.”
Of course, all of this excess caught up to her and she died very young, at age 23, of consumption weighing “as much as a photograph of herself.” All the way to her death, she stayed in touch with many past lovers, though she had to auction off much of her belongings to pay off debts. So goes the tale of an enchanting woman, here told through a high octane thrill of a show written by Harbridge (who also plays Marie) with music and lyrics by Harbridge and Basil Hogios. Its part fact, part fiction, and all a non-stop 70 minute party. It’s a mix of period and modern references, and Harbridge consistently breaks the fourth wall to speak directly to the audience, especially to one gentleman named Chad on my evening (“Oooohhh Chad! How AMERICAN…”). She tells Marie’s tale while trying to figure out the moral of the story, unsuccessfully, several times throughout the evening (One hilarious attempt was: “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is…not to masturbate to Radiohead. It’ll leave you with very mixed feelings.”).
Sheridan Harbridge is fantastic here, utterly charming, hilarious, and full of life. Her singing voice is powerful and you can’t take your eyes off of her. If this is anything like what Marie was like in her own life, then it’s no wonder there is so many tales told of her short time here on earth. The book and lyrics are also wonderful, starting the night off very funny and fast and switching gears later in the show with a real emotional punch (I for one immediately want to know where I can get the soundtrack). The two men to her side are both great as well. Garth Holcombe plays Alexandre Dumas and narrates much of the action on stage. Simon Cornfeld plays just about every other person in her life, including a hilarious take on her brief husband Count Gustav Enrst Von Stackelberg. Both are experts at comic timing and thrill at every hilarious and ridiculous beat within the show. One very funny bit has Holcombe translating Confeld’s conversation to Harbridge for the audience, espcially pomme (apple) and pomme frites (fried potato) over and over. The costumes by Lisa Mimmocchi are splendid and the Lighting Design by Alex Berlage works perfectly. Director Shane Anthony has done a great job piecing everything together into a precious, zippy, and quirky shape. It reminds you of something you wish you would have seen sooner. Songs for the Fallen is pure joy to watch. So much that I just may head back again before it ships out of town. Au Revoir Marie. Until we meet again...
MATEO'S GRADE: A
Book by Sheridan Harbridge Music and Lyrics by: Basil Hogios & Sheridan Harbridge Directed by: Shane Anthony Starring: Sheridan Harbridge, Simon Corfield, Garth Holcombe. For Tickets: http://www.nymf.org/festival/2015-events/songs-fallen/ More Information: http://songsforthefallen.com/
MATEO MORENO recently won a bet on who could hold their breath the longest underwater. He won the bet, having beat local loudmouth Jimmy "Thunderbird" Thomas with a record breaking "fourteen minutes." True, part of that time was him unconscious and the other part was him being revived, but he still counts it, and is now $20 richer. Take THAT Thunderbird! He currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.