Theater Review: ‘A Tale of Two Cities’

James Barbour stars in “A Tale of Two Cities.” Carol Rosegg

NEW YORK—Jill Santoriello’s musical version (book, music, lyrics) of Charles Dickens’s novel A Tale of Two Cities is quite faithful to the original source, dealing with the large themes of injustice, revenge, and the redemptive power of love, against the backdrop of the French Revolution of the 18th century.

Briefly, when Dr. Manette (Gregg Adelman) is released from the French Bastille after l7 years of imprisonment, his daughter Lucie (Brandi Burkhardt) meets him and the two flee to London where they meet the exiled French aristocrat, Charles Darnay (Aaron Lazar) and the cynical attorney, Sydney Carton (James Barbour). Lucie marries Darnay; Carton never stops carrying the torch for Lucie, and his loyalty leads him to a remarkable act of self-sacrifice after all have returned to Paris during the height of the political upheaval.

This has all the makings of a spectacular theatrical epic. However, this show never quite takes flight, due primarily to the lack of musical numbers that stir the spirit. Oh, there are songs aplenty, but they never quite hit their intended mark. One does not leave the theater humming or even remembering some of the tunes.

On the positive side, the plot surges through. It’s made intensely clear that the major villainess of the piece, Madame Defarge (Natalie Toro), will stop at nothing to wreak revenge on the Manettes and, hopefully, have them put to death.. Ms. Toro shines in her singing; oddly, however, her acting does not come up to her ability to “put over a number.”

But there is no dearth of talent here, in fact, more than enough to keep an audience listening intently. James Barbour’s bass baritone thrills, and happily he has five solo numbers. His acting is sometimes over the top, but that may be due more to directorial choices (Warren Carlyle has directed and choreographed the show) than to own. In any case, Barbour has a strong stage presence as well as a superior singing voice.

As Charles Darnay, Aaron Lazar also shines, as does the Lucie of Brandi Burkhardt, which could been a cliché ingénue in the hands of someone less gifted. However, Burkhardt not only has a particularly appealing soprano but lends both simplicity and authenticity to her portrayal. The always dependable Gregg Adelman also creates an  authentic Dr. Manette.

Sets by Tony Walton, who has won several Tony Awards for other shows, unfortunately, do not increase the impact of this show. Although Mr. Walton is a noted designer with many years’ and many shows’ experience there is a pedestrian quality to these movable, stark set pieces. Costume designer David Zinn has contributed appropriate and, where called for, elegant costumes, while lighting designer Richard Pilbrow has also made a fine contribution.

Perhaps creator Jill Santoriello, who, according to the program credits, is a self-taught musician, might have benefited from input from more seasoned writers/lyricists. Nevertheless, “A Tale of Two Cities” may arguably supply enough pizzazz to entice audiences hungry for large-scale musical entertainment.

A Tale of Two Cities
Al Hirschfeld Theatre
302 West 45^th St.
Tickets: [phone] or www.telecharge.com
Open run

Diana Barth writes and publishes “New Millennium,” an arts newsletter. For information: [email protected]