Much has been made of the new revival of Porgy and Bess currently playing at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. The iconic folk opera has long been the subject of controversy since its premiere in 1935. Over the years, it has gone in and out of vogue due to its depictions of race in America and has been revised, restored, and reimagined in opera houses and on Broadway. The score, with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin, is one of the best of the 20th century, featuring timeless songs such as “Summertime” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” among many others.
This time around, much of the controversy stemmed from a potent letter written by Stephen Sondheim to the NY Times, taking exception to comments made by the cast and creative team about planned revisions in a feature article before performances even started.
Unlike the purists, I don’t really mind them trying to find the musical in Porgy and Bess, but I don’t think this result is it. While the memorable Gershwin songs and characters remain the same, this condensed Porgy and Bess is tedious, lacking in passion, and, strangest of all, emotionally distant. Suzan-Lori Parks has trimmed the operatic passages (esp. recitatives) with ease, but many of her additions are clunky. There are lines of dialogue throughout that are expositional filler, as though to cover gaps in the reduced score. The act break is also uncannily reminiscent of Carousel. I also have difficulty believing either of the white men sent to terrorize people of Catfish Row would have contributed a cent to the funeral saucer.
Diane Paulus’s staging is lumbering and lacking in form. Her idea of Catfish Row lacks any real sense of community. I never felt that this group of people relied on each other, except for the hurricane scene. The small amount of musical staging isn’t memorable. While the costumes were excellent, especially for Audra McDonald (a vision in that red dress), the set is one of the ugliest I’ve ever seen on Broadway. It was like staring at a dirty fish tank for two hours.
As Porgy and Bess, Norm Lewis and Audra McDonald are giving career-defining performances. Mr. Lewis embodies the crippled Porgy with such feeling and sincerity. However, his singing voice was weak and tired, showing signs of strain. This made way for the Juilliard-trained McDonald to dominate their duets (thrillingly, I might add).
Ms. McDonald is a wonder as Bess, pouring her heart and soul onto the stage, playing Bess as a severely damaged addict. It was fascinating to watch her silences as she lurked through much of the first act, not unlike an abused dog. Watching her succumb to Crown on Kittawah Island was one of the most compelling scenes of the entire evening. And while the idea was to make a musical out of the opera, Ms. McDonald’s bold and occasionally over-the-top performance brings operatic legitimacy that should quell some purists.
Phillip Boykin makes a stunning Broadway debut as the lecherous, evil Crown. His speaking and singing voices are a thrill to behold, and his performance is riveting. David Alan Grier was excellent as the smarmy, dope-peddling Sportin’ Life, who may be more of a villain than the rage-fueled Crown. NaTasha Yvette Williams was exceptional as Mariah, bringing warmth and heart as the matriarch of Catfish Row. Byronha Marie Parham’s “My Man’s Gone Now” failed to devastate. (Ironically, my favorite rendition of this aria is Ms. McDonald’s from the Sondheim 70th Birthday concert at the Library of Congress).
Diedre L. Murray’s adaptation of the musical score is proficient and orchestrated by William David Brohn and Christopher Jahnke (“spoiling” us with 22 musicians). However, where George Gershwin’s music should soar into the stratosphere, here it constantly hits a ceiling. At the end, when Porgy turned upstage after the final “I’m On My Way,” I felt nothing. I understand the Gershwin estate is pleased with the adaptation, but frankly, if they want Porgy and Bess to be a musical, they should try again.
