They seek him there,
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere.
Is he in Heaven
Or is he in Hell?
That damned elusive Pimpernel!"
| "They seek him here, They seek him there, Those Frenchies seek him everywhere. Is he in Heaven Or is he in Hell? That damned elusive Pimpernel!" |
Actually, he's on stage this week at the Fox. The Scarlet Pimpernel, that is, with music by Frank Wildhorn (of Jekyll and Hyde fame) and book and lyrics by Nan Knighton, based on the Baroness Orczy's 1905 potboiler. It opened on Broadway to good houses but tepid reviews in 1997. With a somewhat re-written book and new direction by Robert Longbottom, the show re-opened to much better notices in November of 1998, and it's this version that's on view at the Fox this week. I'm happy to report that it's a winner on just about all counts - a heady mix of broad comedy, rich melodrama and high adventure that only a terminal curmudgeon could fail to enjoy.
The plot of The Scarlet Pimpernel is the prototype for all masked superhero stories, from Zorro to Batman: enraged by the indiscriminate slaughter of the French Reign of Terror, British aristocrat Sir Percy Blakeney becomes The Scarlet Pimpernel, leading an intrepid band of fellow toffs into France to whisk away potential victims of Madame Guillotine from under the noses of the Republican Guard and their leader, the villainous Chauvelin. Meanwhile, Percy adopts the persona of a shallow fop - the exact opposite of his daring alter-ego.
As Percy, Robert Patteri is equally convincing as both the heroic Pimpernel and as the quintessential upper-class twit, with a strong, accurate voice to boot. It's a nearly flawless performance. William Paul Michals brings at least as much vocal power to the role of the fanatical Chauvelin, but to my taste he over-plays the part too early - leaving him no dramatic "head room" when Chauvelin really does go a bit mad towards the end - and he smiles far too much.
As Percy's wife Marguerite - unjustly suspected of collaborating with her ex-lover Chauvelin - Amy Bodnar just sparkles and sings beautifully. It's easy to believe that characters as different as Percy and Chauvelin could fall under her spell. The supporting cast is solid, with no weak links, and many of them shift effortlessly among multiple roles, giving the impression of a large ensemble when, in fact, it's fairly modest by recent Broadway standards.
All this is wrapped up in dazzling period sets and costumes by Andrew Jackness and Jane Greenwood. A tip of the hat - and the head to go with it - is also in order for Jim Stienmeyer's guillotine illusion, which both opens and closes the show to great effect.
The bottom line: The Scarlet Pimpernel is a classic swashbuckler - light-hearted, romantic and fast-paced with an eclectic and even memorable score. It's even a good family musical, if you can afford the ticket prices, and it's at the Fox through this Sunday. Call 314-534-1111 for tickets.