Jan. 18, 2012 - Issue #848: City of champions
Seussical
» Photo by Daniel Alexander
The plot also focuses on the stories of Jojo the littlest Who (Jennifer Villaverde) and Gertrude McFuzz (Jane Johanson). Gertrude, having fallen in love with Horton, attempts to change her appearance to get him to notice her. After enduring some peer pressure and an arduous physical journey she learns the important lesson of loving herself exactly as she is before loving someone else. In turn, young Jojo learns to let her imagination run wild despite her parents' attempts to squash her creativity as they beg her to "think some normal things instead!" To illustrate the many messages, the play imaginatively flirts with the line between heavy issues and a child-friendly way to express them. The main stories all weave together to convey some big take-home messages that circle around the common Seuss philosophies—such as believing in yourself and opening your mind—that have turned the stories into treasured classics.
The production houses an extremely talented cast and the set, props, and costumes were bright and whimsical. Damien Atkins delivered a wonderful performance as the Cat in the Hat, and Masswohl stole the audience's hearts as his character strove to constantly stand up for the underdog. To the performance's detriment, however, the cast's overall energy was lacking. While the piece found its groove quickly with a strong storyline, the energy levels never quite took off. The musical numbers had everything you would want them to—great technical elements, catchy tunes, engaging lyrics—but more energy was needed to keep up with the childlike enthusiasm that the other aspects of the play spoke to.
Until Sun, Jan 29
Directed by Allen MacInnis
Citadel Theatre, $49.35 vueweekly.com comments: powered by Disqus
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