Review - Closer Than Ever

So, let me tell you a brief story about my relationship with Closer Than Ever.  Well, I don't really have a relationship with it.  But I will tell a silly story.  I had a brief interlude working in Ohio, between my two NYC lives.  For a while, I worked at a small community theater there.  When I started, it was right before the beginning of their new season.  However, the community was still abuzz with the complete and utter failure of their recently closed production of Closer Than Ever.  Apparently, the local critics had called it the worst show ever, it sold minimal amounts of tickets and the concession area couldn't get rid of any of their merchandise.  Therefore, my first impression of Closer Than Ever was as a failure.  Because there were so many leftover copies of the cast recording at the concession stand, I picked up a free copy and listened to the show.  CONSTANTLY.  I loved it!  So I couldn't figure out how that lovely show turned out to be a failure!  But, for better or worse, when I hear the title, I think of an unsuccessful work. 

Which is NOT the correct impression, of course.  And, when the York Theatre Company announced they were doing the show, I was thrilled.  When a chum suggested we go see the show last night, I jumped.  For the most part, I greatly enjoyed myself.

For me, there's an inherent problem with a revue.  Sometimes it can be hard to hang your hat on something, with so many disparate motifs and changes of tone.  Even though there's an overarching theme of people of a certain age questioning their choices, there's still a lot of jumping back and forth.  So it's hard for me to engage.  But I fully acknowledge that's my problem, not necessarily the show's.

The performers are all quite terrific, most especially Jenn Colella, who is charming, funny and sings like a dream.  She's so funny in "Miss Byrd" and "You Wanna Be My Friend," but is also quite touching in "I've Been Here Before."  Oh, and she's all kinds of sultry in "Back on Base."  It was nice to see Christiane Noll show off her comic chops, though I found she occasionally pulled back a little too much and I missed some of her lyrics.  George Dvorsky is handsome with a big voice - he delivered "If I Sing" beautifully, though I'll admit I was daydreaming that a friend of mine was playing the role instead.  Oops.  I was less sold on Sal Viviano's acting, though his singing was top-notch.  His "One of the Good Guys" was very well done.

I love David Shire's music - it runs the gamut from jazzy to plaintive to upbeat to pop-y.  And Richard Maltby's lyrics are quite smart, though a few are clunky.  As a gal of a certain age, I could certainly appreciate the story songs dealing with not being quite so young any more, though it might've been nice to have one song that didn't feel bad about being single. :)  I did find some of the songs, though, quite touching and made me think about a few things with a different perspective.

Richard Maltby also directed the production, and the staging gets a little fussy from time to time.  I know there's a fine line between keeping a revue moving and making it too busy, and the show crosses the line (IMO) a few times.  But, all in all, I had a grand time.  It's nice to have another frame of reference for Closer Than Ever instead of just as an Ohio community theater disaster.  And I'll have to try to find my cassette (?!) of the original cast album...