Stephen Sondheim
and John Weidman’s controversial musical, ASSASSINS, is back to remind us how
violent these United States are. This time out New Repertory Theatre is
assembling the shooting gallery, playing through Oct. 26th
appropriately enough, at the Arsenal
Center.
The musical is a
conundrum. The historical context is fascinating. The message that someone can
make a name for him/herself by assassination is chilling and the songs are
gorgeous—but perverse in the
mouths of these evildoers. “Everybody’s Got the Right [to a Dream]” is one of
Sondheim’s loveliest but the dream, in this case, involves a gun and a
president.
When ASSASSINS
debuted, audiences were shocked at what seemed like a glorification of
violence. A quarter of a century later, I’m horrified to say, people are more
than familiar with news of mass murder ( from children killing their classmates
to homegrown and foreign terrorism to the “collateral damage” from drone and
missile attacks we hear about every day on the news). Now ASSASSINS seems more
of a cautionary tale—and sad, solid
evidence that our country has always had a fascination with violence.
The shadow of
recent history casts a frightening resonance on the musical that it didn’t have
before. Most surprising is the vignette about the failed presidential assassin,
Sam Byck, who planned to hijack a plane and crash it into the White House way
before 9-11. Ironically, after the musical’s first disappointing outing,
Sondheim and Weidman were ready to try it again. Time had passed. Backers were
found and they were scheduled to open in November of 2001. Then 9-11 happened
and they didn’t.
Director Jim
Petosa’s straightforward production unfolds on a giant American flag (set
design by Kamilla Kurmenbekova) whose stars all display black bullet holes, repeated
in carnival proprietor/cheerleader Benjamin Evett’s patriotic coat (by Chelsea
Kerl).
Music director
Matthew Stern’s ensemble delivers the songs with conviction and humor. Standout
performances include Mark Linehan’s commanding Booth (whose final prayer is
especially, surprisingly touching), Brad Peloquin’s quirky, almost childlike
assassin and Kevin Patrick Martin’s desperate, lonely gunman. Their seemingly
innocent, lilting trio (“All you have to do is crook your little finger…”)
morphs into a barbershop quartet (by adding a female assassin) becoming,
despite its gentle tune, passionless instruction for a shooting.
Also affecting
are Harrison Bryan (although his over the top Italian accent kept me from
making out some of the lyrics and maybe it’s just because I saw SWEENEY TODD a
week ago, but he sounds a lot like Pirelli, Sweeney’s nemesis), McCaela Donovan
and Paula Langton as inept, ineffectual wannabes, Casey Tucker as a proud,
determined Emma Goldman and Peter S. Adams as the wacky Sam Byck (although
placing him at the far end of the stage each time meant we had difficulty (and
I was in the center section) hearing all of his rant.
Best of all, in
a tour de force is Evan Gambardella, first as the balladeer, there at the start
to chronicle the first assassination, then as a confused, reluctant Lee Harvey
Oswald, entreated by all the other assassins, to give them historical
importance. When he gives himself over to his brothers/sisters in arms, we feel
sorry for him. Even if you don’t subscribe to the lone gunman theory, the
Oswald segment works as theater and Gambardella creates a character you won’t soon
forget.