Beth Malone in “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” directed by Kathleen Marshall, at Abrons Art Center
through April 5.
➤ MOLLY BROWN, from p.32
It doesn’t help that Meredith
Willson’s music and Scanlan and
Michael Rafter’s new contributions
are bland songs that never rise
to the level of Willson’s hit “The
Music Man.” Willson’s songs for
“Molly Brown” largely track that
musical from the spoken opening
(mirroring “Rock Island in “The
Music Man”) to the sentimental
love songs to the barbershop
quartet and raucous production
numbers. Yet none of them ever
achieves the heart or exuberance
of “Good Night, My Someone” or
“Seventy-Six Trombones,” both of
which have remained popular hits
for decades. (Audiences will get to
see “The Music Man” next season
with Hugh Jackman and Sutton
Foster.)
Director and choreographer
Kathleen Marshall seems understandably
confused about exactly
what kind of show she’s creating.
In an attempt to negotiate the stylistic
incongruity, she just makes
a mess. Obvious jokes land with
a thud, the characters are never
believably serious, and the choreography
is conventional and uninspired
for all its exuberance. The
company is largely unremarkable,
though one can’t help but feel sorry
for Beth Malone in the title role.
Malone who was Tony-nominated
for her wonderfully nuanced performance
in “Fun Home,” attacks
Molly as if she were cranked up on
amphetamines. Neither Scanlan
CAROL ROSEGG
nor Marshall gives Molly a single,
human moment, so Malone blasts
through the show as if she had a
gun to her head and wolves at her
heels. It’s an impressive feat and
probably savvy for Malone to show
off her considerable talents, but
it’s very disconcerting that a show
that wants to be taken seriously is
so superfi cial.
There are certainly pleasures
to be had in a big, splashy, senseless
musical. Just look at “Moulin
Rouge.” It’s unapologetically spectacular
and ridiculous. That’s a
whole school of musical comedy,
just as “Fun Home” or “Next to Normal”
represents a different school.
Both can be effective, and though
it may be a noble attempt to marry
the two, in the case of “Molly
Brown” it doesn’t work. Molly herself
may be unsinkable, but this
leaky vessel is stuck in port.
ALL THE NATALIE PORTMANS
| Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater
Space, 511 W. 52nd St. | Through
Mar. 29: Tue.-Sat. at 7:30 p.m.;
Wed., Sat.-Sun. at 2:30 p.m. | $56-
$76 at mcctheater.org or 646-506-
9393 | Two hrs., 10 mins., with intermission
THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY
BROWN | Abrons Arts Center, 466
Grand St., btwn. Pitt St. & E. Broadway
| Through Apr. 5: Tue.-Sun.
at 7:30 p.m.; weekend matinees
on varying schedule | $65-$85
at transportgroup.org/ Two hrs., 30
mins., with intermission
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