Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre Regent’s Park London NW1 4NU 0844 826 4242 openairtheatre.com Reviewed by Peter Lawler
I
The American
PHOTO ©JOHAN PERSSON
Nicola Hughes as Bess and Rufus Bonds Jr as Porgy
Porgy and Bess
s there a play or musical more suited to outdoor theater than Porgy and Bess, with its backdrop of the sweltering south, its talk of picnics and fishing, sunshine and storms, and its plot at times subject to the apparently cruel and tempestuous whims of nature? I do not know, but Regent Park Open Air Theatre’s current production, a magnificently rich interpretation, certainly sits perfectly amidst the swaying trees and night air in a riveting night of theater. This is a canonical folk opera in the American Musical tradition that has been brought fresh, new life through Tim Sheader’s musical direction. A story of a central heroine drawn between the enticing danger of her past and the brightness of a better, more spiritually sustaining path, and a community in doubt of itself, the Gershwins’ story is brought to life with phenomenal style and gut wrenching pathos. Performances are amazing. From the beginning, we are drawn and enfolded in the richness of the great deep melodies and rhythms executed so perfectly by such a talented cast. Nicola Hughes, as the eponymous Bess, draws us
in completely from the outset, effortlessly commanding the stage with a ferocious sexual energy. She masterfully and convincingly slides between the recklessly selfdestructive darkness of Bess’ free, hedonistic life, and the controlled, nurturing, regal grace of the Bess to whom Porgy has offered a way out and some hope of salvation. We feel her deeply rooted conflict. Phillip Boykin as Crown feels more operatic dark and brooding, than folk villain, with his deep baritone notes, issuing menacingly forth as he imperiously struts around the stage with a sinister charisma that is simply spellbinding. Rufus Bonds Jr is superb as Porgy, capturing the determination of this character who feels only too keenly his physical disability at odds with his wealth of spirit, generosity and courage. Especially compelling was Sharon D Clarke, who I last saw in a supporting role in The Amen Corner at The National. Here she was center stage much of the time and no one was more deserving. Her charisma as Mariah, the spiritual and moral leader of Catfish Row, and the warmth of her majestic voice as she presides over all that happens in her corner of the world, make her
By George and Ira Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward Book Adapted by Suzan-Lori Parks Score Adapted by Diedre L. Murray
eminently watchable. I can see why, as a piece, it has historically come under criticism. Some of the dynamic between Caesar and Boykin feels at times pained and contrived, but then that is quickly forgotten with the pure caliber of these sensational performances, especially when Crown returns to tempt Bess back to her old ways and the stage erupts in a sensual, bacchanalian energy. This show is at its best, though, when the beautifully choreographed ensemble are working together either in vocal contrapuntal conflict or building towards a unified crescendo filling the theater with aural and visual rapturous joy, which is what you shall feel in this at times heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting performance in the park.
September 2014 43