Review: Road Show – Menier Chocolate Factory

To paraphrase the Michael Crawford show, Some Brothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em. For a show that is already on its fourth title, I’m not suggesting Road Show changes its name again but it certainly sums up life for Addison Mizner.

Stephen Sondheim’s latest show has had a lengthy gestation period. Various versions have appeared since 1999 but the show now makes its European debut in a radically revised version first staged by John Doyle on Broadway in 2008.

Based on the real life story of the American architect Addison Mizner, the man largely responsible for the boom development of Palm Beach in Florida in the 1920s, this is the ultimate rags to riches and back again tale. Addison has dreams to explore the world and become rich but his wilder brother, Wilson, is a chancer who runs a series of scams that thwart Addison’s plans and ultimately leads to his downfall.

It’s very much the tale of the American Dream gone sour and, ultimately, how money can’t buy happiness. Alongside this financial nightmare though there is always hope in love.

Initially, Addison desperately craves love from his parents, though they seem to prefer the more flamboyant Wilson to his quieter, younger sibling. After missing out on his family’s love, Addison ultimately finds love in Hollis, a rich playboy who bankrolls his initial design projects. It is ultimately a relationship doomed to fail, however, as bad penny Wilson is drawn back to his brother’s success and ultimately drives the two apart. It is only on his deathbed (a scene that bookends the show) that Addison realises the love that he has lost in pursuit of his dream.

Sondheim uses his trademark mix of darkness and humour to create a beautifully drawn look at hopes, dreams and lost love. While there are moments that will bring tears to the eye, there are also moments of sheer exuberant joy in perhaps one of his most accessible scores.

Doyle has adapted his Broadway staging, transforming the Menier Chocolate Factory auditorium into traverse staging and the simple staging works well, focussing on the human drama. This traverse approach also allows for a cinematic fluidity to the scenes, with the entire company onstage throughout the 95, interval free minutes to carry out scene changes and populate the scenes.

As with any of his scores, Road Show is an incredibly complex mix of overlapping melodies, multiple rhythms and multi-layered lyrics, but there’s not one single missed note or beat from a uniformly excellent company.

Leading the company as Addison, Michael Jibson gives an incredible performance of vulnerability, artistic frustration and repressed sexuality, tempered with an inner drive and determination. It’s a mesmerising performance that commands attention. There are also equally impressive performances from David Bedella as the smooth-talking Wilson (a particular highlight the wonderfully over the top That Was a Year – a full-on Broadway spectacle retrospective of his scams), Gillian Bevan and Glyn Kerslake as the Mizner parents and Jon Roberts as Addison’s lover, Hollis. Jibson and Roberts’ touching love duet The Best Thing That Ever Happened bringing a tear to many in the audience.

The entire ensemble, however, provide outstanding performances, with not a duff note, step out of place, or missed beat in the entire show. Catherine Jayes leads a small but powerful orchestra that delivers Sondheim’s lush score with flare, perfectly balanced with the cast in the tiny Menier auditorium thanks to Gareth Owen’s clear sound design.

Doyle has also designed the production, utilising a simple mix of packing cases, crates, drawers and desks to provide a multi-levelled set and a simple revolving bed to focus attention centre stage when needed, with Jane Cox’s evocative lighting adding texture and shade to a mainly empty stage.

There were doubts that UK audiences would be able to relate to the American subject matter in Road Show; however, the sheer humanity of the piece packs such an emotional punch that it transcends national boundaries.

For those who claim that Stephen Sondheim concentrates on lyrical excellence at the price of musical strength, Road Show provides proof that the octogenarian composer’s work is the very pinnacle of musical theatre excellence.

Road Show is the perfect marriage of music, story, lyrics, performance and staging and, if there is only one show you hit the road for this year, make it this one.

The stage and audience are festooned with $100 bills by the end of the show and I, for one, would be more than happy to pay that to see this show again.