| CYRANO at the Pasadena Playhouse | |
| Posted by: showtunetrivia 11:50 am EDT 09/12/24 | |
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| Last night, we saw a new production of CYRANO, “freely adapted” by Martin Crimp, with British-Nigerian actor Chukwudi Iwuji in the title role (and not wearing a fake nose). I won’t say it’s the worst CYRANO I’ve ever seen—that remains Peter Dinklage, because of his wife’s awful score and his wretched singing. I kept fervently wishing it wasn’t a musical, because then it would have been fine. But Crimp’s adaptation simply didn’t work for me. The language is updated—lots of modern profanity and terms like “gender fluidity,” “political correctness,” “inclusivity,” and oh so many “whatevers,” which Roxane used like punctuation. Yet, despite the language and the modern dress, it’s still supposed to be France in the 17th century. I could have dealt with all that, and the show did have some plusses. Iwuji is a powerful actor, in full command of a huge part (it’s a long, long play); the modern verse is good; the direction and pacing went at a fast clip. But the beauty of the language is gone, and that’s the heart of CYRANO. Spoiler here for any SoCal peeps who want to see this… . . . . . In the critical scene where Cyrano himself woos Roxane in the shadows—his first chance to tell her himself how much he loves her, not just through letters or speeches he taught Christian—it’s enough for Cyrano to have this chance. He’s willing to die happily, right there, having expressed his passion aloud, and seen its effect on her. It’s Christian who interferes, demanding one kiss, and, ultimately, Cyrano wins it for him, and the hunk climbs the balcony to get it. Here, Cyrano’s big speech is pretty much all “OMG, I wanna fuck your brains out,” and it’s delivered, not from the shadows, but literally right into her ears, neck, and all along her arm. I’m not saying the physical attraction shouldn’t be there for Cyrano; in one of the letters that Roxane quotes at him (in the original), he’s definitely raving about her lips and kissing. But the difference for me is, that’s Cyrano at a remove. He can write about kissing (and kissing that can lead to fucking one’s brains out), but it’s wholly another to say that right in her presence. The original Cyrano can’t do it. This one is practically panting for the chance. I might have been able to accept that, except it weakens the entire point of Roxane’s arc. She’s supposed to have fallen for the hunk, but it’s Cyrano’s words that introduce to the real meaning of beauty, which is so much more than good looks and fucking. There are some other significant changes, too. In the scene before the battle, Christian demands Cyrano tell Roxane what’s happening, that she should choose between them. When he’s dying, Cyrano lies to him and says, “She picked you.” The final scene is different, too. Roxane’s become an alcoholic, and has been sleeping around. That I could understand—to her, she’s lost everything on that battlefield. She’s still keeping the last letter close to her heart, fifteen years later. But then, furious at the deception, she burns it! (And yes, both of us immediately flashed on Eliza in HAMILTON.) Crimp also doesn’t use one of my favorite parts, when Roxane realizes it was Cyrano’s tears on the last letter, and he points out that the blood stains were Christian’s. Too many misfires for me. It didn’t resonate the way it should have. Laura in LA, where it’s no longer 100 degrees, but we had a 4.6 quake to make up for it |
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