This iconic Bernstein/Laurents/ Sondheim musical turns 50 this year, a classic almost from the moment it opened. The thing about classics, though, is they are, in theory, open for reinterpretation. Which ‘West Side Story’ decidedly is not. The whole production, down to Jerome Robbins’ choreography, is a take-it-or-leave-it package. Here, Joey McKneeley directs the dance and theatre, with Donald Chan in charge of music, but both are just following orders.
What was in 1958 a shockingly modern update of Romeo and Juliet now looks as quaint as the black-and-white photographs of New York projected onto the back wall of Sadler’s Wells. This is a story about gang warfare and youths knifing youths. Is it relevant to today? Hell, no. Still, there is no denying its power, never more so than in the overture, when Bernstein’s jazz-hot car horn Stravinsky and cool finger-clicks meld perfectly with Robbins’ choreography, as the Jets and the Sharks carve up the stage in various patterns of confrontation and menace. Outside of its orchestral highlights, ‘West Side Story’ only really has two great songs – ‘Maria’ and ‘America’, the Puerto Rican girls’ paean to their new home, which is as feisty as you like, though it’s disappointing to lose so many of Sondheim’s words. ‘Gee, Officer Krupke’ is as close as the show gets to social comment, only it comes at the wrong part of the evening, when the Jets should be mourning their dead leader, not goofing around. By the standards of dance, this is a worthy revival. By the standards of theatre, ‘West Side Story’ needs moving along.
West Side Story sure is relevant in London today - couldn't help thinking of the contemporary parallels as I was watching the performance last evening. Great performance by a great team of singers and dancers. The orchestra was in top form, Ryan Silverman as Tony was brilliant - as were the guys playing the Jets (their performance of "Cool" was outstanding - with fantastic energy. Biggest disappointment was that "America" somehow didn't quite catch fire last evening. However, that single disappointment didn't prevent it being a great evening in the theatre!
If Jonathan Gibbs thinks that the gang warfare and the prevalence of knives in that context in this production of WSS isn't relevant to today, then he's clearly living on a different planet to the rest of us. As to his comment that it "needs moving along," I suppose he'd like to see some up to date interpretation with some of the current boy bands in the leading roles. And if this is an example of Mr Gibbs abilities as a theatre critic I suggest that Time Out find another. God help us from more of this bovine reportage.
What a fabulous show I was their on opening night and it received a standing ovation richly deserved. Having seen it many times by Amatuer Societies it was one of the few that i had not seen done proffesionaly. Go and see it quickly .
3 comments
West Side Story sure is relevant in London today - couldn't help thinking of the contemporary parallels as I was watching the performance last evening. Great performance by a great team of singers and dancers. The orchestra was in top form, Ryan Silverman as Tony was brilliant - as were the guys playing the Jets (their performance of "Cool" was outstanding - with fantastic energy. Biggest disappointment was that "America" somehow didn't quite catch fire last evening. However, that single disappointment didn't prevent it being a great evening in the theatre!
If Jonathan Gibbs thinks that the gang warfare and the prevalence of knives in that context in this production of WSS isn't relevant to today, then he's clearly living on a different planet to the rest of us. As to his comment that it "needs moving along," I suppose he'd like to see some up to date interpretation with some of the current boy bands in the leading roles. And if this is an example of Mr Gibbs abilities as a theatre critic I suggest that Time Out find another. God help us from more of this bovine reportage.
What a fabulous show I was their on opening night and it received a standing ovation richly deserved. Having seen it many times by Amatuer Societies it was one of the few that i had not seen done proffesionaly. Go and see it quickly .