The Catskill Chronicle

Review by Barry Plaxen

FORESTBURGH, NY (July 2, 2014) – “Mame” is a musical with a book by Jerome  Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. It is based on the 1955 novel “Auntie Mame” by Patrick Dennis and a 1956 Broadway play by Lawrence and Lee that starred Rosalind Russell. The musical adaptation opened on Broadway in 1966, starring Angela Lansbury. Joining the illustrious list of stars who have performed the title role in the musical onstage after Lansbury, including Celeste Holm, Susan Hayward, Ginger Rogers, Ann Miller, Ann Sothern, Janet Blair, Elaine Stritch, Edie Adams, Patrice Munsel, Carol Lawrence, Juliet Prowse and, in the film version, Lucille Ball, is Forestburgh favorite Loretta Swit.

Forestburgh Playhouse’s production starring Swit opened on July 1, 2014 and will run through July 13.

Set in New York in the 1920s and spanning the Great Depression, the story is about an eccentric, attractive and outgoing non-performing-diva whose bohemian life with her wealthy and de rigueur friends is interrupted when the young son of her late brother arrives to live with her.

She and her nephew and their household “servants-in residence” cope with the Depression in a series of adventures, all the while exposing her nephew, Patrick, to the fun and excitement of life. Comedic though the book might be, the loving relationship between the two underlines every scene and can be quite moving at times. It is only when, as a young man about to be married Patrick becomes a stodgy society-snob, a rift happens in their relationship. Mame then interferes in his life with her auntie-knows-best manipulations and everyone lives happily ever after.

There is a message here about living in the now, acceptance without judgment, helping others when they are needy and fighting back when bigotry raises its ugly head that, though covered up by all the fun going on onstage, does permeate and create cause for contemplation.

The dialogue by Lawrence and Lee (some of it taken from author Dennis’ novel) includes a plethora of wit, bon mots, quips, pithy sayings, wisecracks and banter that is not only funny but also clever, imaginative and inspired, enhancing the already humorous story and delighting the ears. This type of writing, common during the Golden Age of Musicals is, sadly, no longer heard much in new musicals. In fact, “Mame” might arguably be considered the last of the great musicals of that era, thanks much to the skill of the dialogue-writing very evident in it. But, though much of that skill is evident, there is another skill within “Mame” that is evident even more-so.

Yes, we know Jerry Herman composes toe-tapping tunes and music that is sing-able as you leave the theatre. But as popular as his “Hello Dolly” may be, “Mame” contains lyrics worthy of the finest of Lorenz Hart, Yip Harburg, Alan Jay Lerner, Sheldon Harnick and Frank Loesser. Herman’s verbal choice of Southern amenities and his rhyming schemes in the title song alone are genius. Not only are they like the dialogue, clever and inspired, but each and every line evokes an emotion – a feeling, a sense-memory, a vivid image of the South. This is the skill of lyric writing at its best.

Except for a few minor opening night snags, Swit charismatically led us through a truly happy adventure ably abetted by Dann Dunn’s choreography and the company of superb dancers. Dunn amazingly has, once again, created exciting and entertaining dances performed on that smaller-than-Broadway stage, a remarkable feat not uncommon to Forestburgh’s productions. New producer Franklin Trapp’s professionals know how to use that stage and make it seem gigantic.

Swit will add another characterization to her impressive repertory which, in addition to Eleanor Roosevelt, includes the great “Shirley Valentine,” comedy in “Murder Among Friends,” drama in “Equus” – when she follows “Mame” with the leading role in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” which runs July 15-27. This remarkable thespian obviously will be entertaining audiences as lovable Mame Dennis in the evenings and rehearsing for “Whorehouse” during the day. A theatrical-consummation devoutly to be admired!