Photo: Jan Versweyveld
It’s safe to say you’ve never seenWest Side Storylike this before.
Visionary director and Tony winner Ivo Van Hove has completely transformed Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s legendary 1957 musical for its new Broadway revival, which opened at New York City’s Broadway Theatre Thursday night. And while his wild changes sometimes clash with Arthur Laurents’ celebrated book, this bold and gritty newWest Side Storystands apart from any production before it in a fresh and admirable way.
There’s a shortened runtime too, with Hove and producer Scott Rudin cutting one of the musical’s most known songs (“I Feel Pretty”) as well as removing the show’s intermission entirely. And a cast has been assembled that reflects more of America today, the story’s two rival street gangs filled with racially diverse actors and even LGBTQ+ characters (all who spend a lot of time dancing and fighting in the rain).
Jan Versweyveld
Julieta Cervantes
In many cases, those changes really heighten the experience. While it takes a second to adjust to the absence of Robbins’ work, the new choreography has its own raw and raging quality that fits beautifully with Hove’s vision. The cut material isn’t missed either, its absence instead turning up the sense of urgency within the piece. Plus, the colorful cast makesWest Side Story‘s messaging of unity more relevant than ever.
Video, meanwhile, intensifies the action in remarkable ways. “America” becomes a commentary on the current immigration crisis with images of blunt boarder walls filling the theater. “Gee, Officer Krupke,” a song typically performed as a silly gag, is flipped into a commentary on the biases of the criminal justice system with pre-recorded projections streaming at the same time.
Most effective of all? The live-shots highlighting the deeply upsetting and traumatic sexual assault that occurs late in the piece — which, in past productions, has been staged playfully, as if to minimize the horrifying nature of the heinous crime. Yesenia Ayala, who plays Anita, handles the scene with vulnerability and fire. When it was over, the only sounds heard in the audience were those of sobs coming from the crowd.
Still, for everything that works, there’s a lot that doesn’t. The opening “Prologue” loses much of its power without the span of Robbins’ poetic sequencing. Some of Laurents’ words no longer have their bite in a modern day setting, as if they’re in direct opposition of what Hove is trying to do. As for the projections, they often take away from the action on stage, especially during big group numbers where viewers will undoubtedly struggle to focus. Other times, they confuse messaging within songs (“Cool,” in its new staging for example, dilutes the number’s take on toxic masculinity).
All that said, there’s nothing boring about this production. The changes make for a thrilling ride, and the performances offered are dynamic throughout.
At the center of its cast of 50 (33 of whom are making their Broadway debuts) are the wonderful Isaac Powell and Shereen Pimentel, as star-crossed lovers Tony and Maria. Together, their chemistry is palpable, giving the show the stakes it needs. Pimentel’s operatic voice hits all the right notes, while Powell’s take on Tony — confident, charismatic, and conflicted — is worth the price of admission alone.
Those who have precious ties to the original may not like what they see with this revival, especially because it so drastically strays from what we’ve seen before. But there is joy in seeing an artist like Hove take a masterpiece likeWest Wise Storyand pull it apart, especially on the heels ofStephen Spielberg’s new film adaptation arriving in theaters in December. It’s not always perfect, but it feels new in a really cool way.
Tickets forWest Side Storyare now on sale.
source: people.com
