The FIX Review
Signature Production (March 17 through May 10, 1998)
'Fix' a Corrosive Spoof of Politics by Michael Kuchwara AP Drama Critic
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) -- On stage at the Signature Theater, the pillars of democracy are literally ready to collapse. These columns teeter at awkward angles as wheelers and dealers scramble to win office at any cost.
Welcome to ``The Fix,'' the most corrosive, explosive and gleefully wicked musical comedy to come along in some time. With a smile and a sneer, it celebrates the shenanigans that are necessary for success in American politics.
``The Fix'' follows the fortunes of the Chandler family, whose members seem to be a composite of the Kennedy dynasty and the Clinton clan. Before the musical has time to get past its first few notes, Reed Chandler, a front-runner for the White House, has died -- while in bed with his mistress.
Death doesn't stop Reed from getting up off a gurney in the morgue and doing a little soft shoe. ``Let the Games Begin,'' he warbles. And who better to follow in his footsteps than his wayward, pot-smoking son, Cal.
Guiding the young heir up the political ladder are Cal's voracious mother, Violet, and his embittered, polio-stricken uncle, Grahame. They form quite an unhealthy trio as the doltish lad is pushed into the Army and then propelled into the city council, the governor's mansion and finally a nomination for the U.S. Senate.
Along the way, Cal graduates from pot to cocaine to heroin -- the title has more than a political connotation. He also acquires a wife, a sultry ex-stripper of a mistress and a business relationship with a mob figure that eventually proves his undoing.
In addition, Grahame lusts after his nephew, a desire the young man is willing to exploit for his own advantage. Cal's paternity is also suspect, with his real father a redneck murderer who fried for his sins.
Not exactly an uplifting tale, but then authors John Dempsey (book and lyrics) and Dana P. Rowe (music) revel in the story's nightmarish black humor.
The authors have gone for an extra edge of desperation, a wild sense of comedy that mixes ``The Manchurian Candidate'' with Monty Python. Apparently, its seriousness and the wrong political climate -- sunny and optimistic -- doomed the musical when it was done last year at London's Donmar Warehouse.
There's no such problem here. In fact, the creators' timing is superb, considering what is happening in Washington these days.
The score could be called contemporary eclectic, but it is first and foremost theatrical -- advancing the plot and defining characters. Rowe's music, showcased in Michael Gibson's brash Broadway orchestrations, draws its inspiration from a variety of sources. Filter the Who's Peter Townshend through Kander and Ebb and you might get some idea of its wide sensibility as it veers from rock to pop to gospel to torch to country to show-biz flash.
Dempsey's commonsense lyrics are sturdy and often witty, particularly in a lively vaudeville number called ``Two Guys at Harvard.'' The song cleverly explains the intertwining collegiate days of Reed, Grahame and Violet.
Director Eric D. Schaeffer moves the musical at a furious pace. There is no down time in this show. Charles Augins' choreography is equally fleet-footed.
Stephen Bienskie is sweet-tempered if not overpowering as Cal. The character must drive the story, which Bienskie does in third gear. He is best in a gospel number called ``Simple Words.'' In it, Cal artfully extricates himself from the embarrassing situation of having uttered a four-letter word in public. He does something unusual for a politician. He owns up to it.
Bienskie also gets mileage out of ``I See the Future,'' a political speech done as a hymn. Schaeffer has staged it with TV screens above the audience. It lets them see the cues the neophyte politician is receiving to make the song more effective to his audience.
Linda Balgord, done up with a Louise Brooks helmet haircut, has the vocal power if not the humor to inhabit Violet Chandler. Her gorgon is heavy-handed when it comes to dialog, but the woman can belt out a song.
More successful is the third member of this terrible trio, Uncle Grahame, played by Sal Mistretta. He gives a savage, snarly performance, full of self-pity. Mistretta will make you uncomfortable but you will still root for him -- which is quite an achievement.
Jim Walton, as dear old dead Dad, is quite a hoofer, a smooth song-and-dance man. Yet the show's best voice belongs to Natalie Toro as Tina, the girlfriend who introduces Cal to hard drugs. Toro sizzles her way through the evening's big torch song -- ``Lonely Is a Two-Way Street.''
``The Fix'' couldn't be more hilariously contemporary, and in Dempsey and Rowe, the theater has found a new composing team for all seasons.
© Copyright 1998 The Associated Press
By Paul Harris (Daily Variety)
Are Americans burned out on cynical tales of tawdry politics and presidential infidelities? Make room for one more: the new musical "The Fix," which has all the ingredients of a bit. The Cameron Mackintosh venture, with book and lyrics by John Dempsey and music by Dana P. Rowe, made its debut last year at London's Donmar Warehouse. It's been extensively reworked for this co-production with Arlington, VA's tiny Signature Theatre under the guidance of Signature's talented artistic director, Eric D. Schaeffer. Changes include a new physical look, revisions in the story, new numbers and new orchestrations by Michael Gibson.
What emerges is an immensely creative and enjoyable production with sarcasm exuding from all pores, including Dempsey's acerbic book and lyrics and Charles Augins' tight and self-mocking choreography. For a producer identified with the musical-as-event school of theatre, Mackintosh makes a refreshing return to normalcy -- one be intends to continue in future projects with Schaeffer.
The book is clearly reflective of today's political headlines, although it borrows more from the Kennedys than the current occupant of the White House. A front-running presidential candidate dies of a heart attack during an adulterous episode, and his ambitious widow, tantalized by power, decides to groom her ne'er-do-well son for the office. What ensues is a jaded look at the American political system and the people who gravitate to it. It's an exceedingly strong storyline that, although outrageous at times, is disturbingly realistic.
Signature has assembled a terrific 19-member cast that wings the most out of every role. Linda Balgord is magnificent as the conniving widow adept at switching her sinister sneer to virtuous smile at the blink of a camera lens. Equally enjoyable is Sal Mistretta as the bitter campaign manager.
Stephen Bienskie is also sharp in the lead role of the pot-smoking kid punned politician. It's an energetic part, with constant singing demands and wild variation in demeanor. Other standouts include Jim Walton as the deceased senator (a role that has been expanded from the London version) and Natalie Toro as the ex-stripper girlfriend.
The much-varied score ranges from big rock numbers to tender solos. Highlighting the ensemble pieces are "Dangerous Games" and "Simple Words," the later a rock song set up perfectly by a chaotic political press conference. Lead characters are given at least one solo number a piece, and they are uniformly terrific.
Schaeffer's imaginative staging emphasizes the musical's dry wit and strong characterization. He's assembled an engaging chorus line that's beefy, bawdy and beautiful. Choreographer Augins gives the line a mixture of styles to perform, including one delicious fun routine at the end. As the musical is poling fun at politics, Augins is busy parodying musical theatres.
Lou Stancari's nifty stage is framed by strategically placed pillars and three doors at the back, all appropriately tilted askew, while there television monitors above are ablaze with news bulletins and political speech texts.
© Copyright 1998 Daily Variety
By Brad Hathaway(Washington D.C., U.S.A)
Signature Premieres Powerful Production of "The Fix"
Arlington's Signature Theatre's latest, and in some ways best, musical production is the American premier of the new musical "The Fix." It is a powerful production with wonders to behold at almost every turn.
"The Fix" uses most of the tricks of the theatrical trade to explore the tricks of the political trade. Its strength is its realization that they may not be all that different. While it doesn't imply that theater is politics, it surely says that politics is theater.
It goes even deeper, however, to deal with the theme of human frailty and vulnerability. Thus, it becomes more than an expose of the sordid side of the body politic. It becomes a tragedy of the failure to live up to expectations ... one's own and those held by others.
All of this is presented in over-the-top high camp in a uniquely adult musical. There's no real nudity and the language contains a minimum of the expletives deleted from the Watergate Transcripts. But there are seductions, drug use, murders, and assorted acts of insult and humiliation.
How, then, can it be such a rousing good time? The magic of musical theater is at work here. Director Eric D. Schaeffer has assembled not only his biggest cast ever but his most talented and then he gives every last one of them an opportunity to shine using all the tools of the modern stage.
The play is the story of an American political clan driven to succeed, but each member suffers some inadequacy for the role that the public demands of political celebrities. The story is peppered with images from the public myths of the Kennedys. But these fictional characters are arch-types, not portraits and the story is allegory not biography.
Nearly thirty songs range from quasi-rock through vaudeville buck and wing; from rousing chorus numbers through saloon torch songs; from country/western hard luck laments to a troublingly effective campaign speech as anthem. They come at you at a pace that would wear out its welcome if it weren't for two things. First, every one of them moves the story ahead and/or defines a character with hardly a superfluous release, reprise or excursion. Second, the cast is so talented you want them to take an encore of each number. But they know -- or Mr. Schaeffer knows -- that there are simply too many highlights to let us linger over any one of them. Keep it moving, keep the upper hand!
Leading off this tremendous cast is Stephen Bienskie as the son of a Presidential candidate tapped to follow in some of his fathers footsteps when dear old dad, the maniacally fascinating Jim Walton, dies during a pre-election fling with a prostitute. Bienskie brings the right appearance to the part of the college kid catapulted into a national prominence he neither sought nor wanted. He sings his heart out during his progression from callow kid through phenomenal success to self destruction. All the while he gives a complex and thoroughly satisfying performance that keeps us caring about him right up to the tragic end.
The fascinating role of his emotionally and physically crippled uncle is burned into your memory by the perfectly over-the-top Sal Mistretta. He never hits a wrong note musically, dramatically or comedically.
A standout cast of supporting characters -- and characters is the operative word here -- is topped by Lawrence Redmond who creates yet another of the fascinatingly individual characters he seems to chisel out each season on Signature's stage. Here he gives us the ultimate bad-old country boy.
Everywhere you look you see tremendous performance gems. Natalie Toro smolders as the saloon singer who becomes the boy's lover/supplier. Amy McWilliams is hilarious and, at the same time, touching as the vacuous blond selected as the candidate's wife for her demographic features. Jon Garcia is stylish as the mobster with which they play dangerous games.
All of this takes place on Lou Stancari's fabulously evocative and very flexible setting of off-kilter beams, pieces of pillars and video screens. With Daniel MacLean Wagner's lighting design of follow spots and color pools, and the large cast sporting Anne Kennedy's colorful costumes, there is always a new wonder to behold. David Maddox has come up with a sound design that features visible mikes and a heavily amplified sound mixing flawlessly with the frequently hidden chorus. There is a thumpingly good band of eight under the direction of Jon Kalbfleisch who's piano work on "Child's Play" with Bienskie is a joy of collaboration. The band makes Michael Gibson's new bass driven orchestrations sound intense and intimate at the same time.
The entire production bears the signature of Signature's director Eric Schaeffer. He invests each moment of the show with its own, distinct element. From practicing hand gestures for a political speech to pulling a belt tight for a heroin injection, there is a visual equivalent to each line and each point in the
script. This is Schaeffer's particular genius. In "The Fix" he found the perfect vehicle for his brand of high energy, fast paced, razzle-dazzle'em theatre. He makes the most of it.
"The Fix" runs Tuesdays through Sundays through April 26. Tickets are $23-$30. Call 218-6500.
By Old Man on March 20, 1998 preview show
Welcome to my Old World. In my world, everybody eats pretty well, sleeps when they can, and generally enjoys life to the extent their old bodies will allow. We stretch, we kvetch and we (occasionally) get to travel to Washington, D.C.....
It was Friday, and I was loving D.C. Having arrived early Thursday morning, I had already had an amazing behind-the-scenes tour of the State Department (and, no, I didn't get to see Mrs. Albright), strolled from the Einstein Memorial into the Lincoln Memorial and seen the new and wonderful Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial along the Tidal Basin. If you haven't been to D.C. lately (the FDR Memorial opened in May '97) or have never been at all, you must include this as a destination on any upcoming trip. Later Thursday night, I had joined my friends at a delicious eatery close to Dupont Circle called The Mercury Grill where I had a delicious (tender, moist and succulent) Chilean sea bass. A wonderful rice concoction accompanied the fish. Amy (my host's girlfriend) had a different delicious fish and my buddy had some tantalizingly aromatic and tasty meat dish (sorry, I don't remember what it was - it was two weeks ago. Just go there; everything's good!) Since we were going home for cookies and Jerry (Seinfeld, that is), we skipped dessert. Thus, after discussing Amy's trip the following day to Ghana as part of the Presidential advance team, I left The Mercury Grill fat and happy.
The following day was show day. I had called the Signature Theatre on Thursday to secure our tickets and even spoken to JSY (known as "The Other Joseph From NYC" here on the forum) to see if we could hook up. So I was looking forward to finally meeting some of the active East Coast participants of Talkin' Broadway - Siobhan, Anne and Ed, as well as JSY. I got directions to the theatre (Thank God!), and spent the day excited about that night's show.
I met my friend at the office of the senior Senator from California. We had some business to attend to, then left to see the House and Senate in session. After that, we were hungry and it started raining, so we hopped in a cab which took us to Chinatown, where we enjoyed a sumptuous lunch of dim sum and kung pao chicken. (I'm getting hungry now just thinkin' about it!)
We knocked around a bit after our very late lunch, walked my friend's dog, and, before we knew it, it was time to get to the theatre. Since it was now pouring, we hopped into the first cab we saw. Now the thing about D.C. cabs is that they are allowed to take more than one fare. Since we were on 18th St. and the guy already in the cab was only going to 19th St., we figured it wouldn't be too far out of our way. Well, fifteen minutes in rain and rush-hour traffic later(!), we finally dropped this guy off. Twelve minutes to the 8PM start time!
Anyway, we got to the theatre (somehow) at three minutes before curtain, and took a couple of empty seats in the front row (audience left). My friend liked sitting so close (because he wanted to feel part of the experience), and since the side was practically the middle - the theatre is really pretty small - I went for it. And I'm glad I did.
As the lights dimmed, we were suddenly placed in the realm of national politics - a Presidential candidate (played by Jim Walton), in the throes of an erotic liaison, dies suddenly. He performs a wonderful post-death vaudeville-style song called "Let the Games Begin". This, along with the bright colors and shiny black vinyl costumes, sets the mood. We then meet Cal (Stephen Bienskie), who is a guy that pretty much everyone can probably relate to. He's a college kid who is not looking for political glory - he's just a t-shirt and jeans kinda guy, who suddenly becomes the vessel through which both his mother's (Linda Balgord) and uncle's (Sal Mistretta) ambitions are to be achieved. After an incredible performance in the number "One, Two, Three", we realize that we're in the presence of a new sort of star (I'm telling you that if either Matthew Perry or Jason Bateman decide to leave their respective shows, they'd better watch out - Mr. Bienski not only could be either one of their brothers, but he certainly has talent, timing and voice to spare).
So basically we watch the rise and fall of this political candidate, with all of the highlights along the way. We get to know his mother, the ULTIMATE stage mother (played by a very striking - and I don't mean that in a good way - and fairly abrasive Linda Balgord, who gives a Norma Desmond-ish quality to this character -'cause you KNOW she's really waiting for HER close-up!); the uncle (Sal Mistretta, who is terrifically devilish, but I kept waiting for F. Murray Abraham to jump to the stage and scream, "WAIT! I'M SALIERI! AND WHY ARE YOU RIPPING OFF MY CHARACTER?!")
There's the have-to-marry-her, trophy wife (blecch!) played by the blond (nothing more to say about her) Amy McWilliams, only slightly humorous in her caricature role. I also liked the robust family maid (Raquel Hecker), who really seemed to enjoy being on stage and made the most of her part, and a very interesting casting choice for Peter (Anthony Galde), the Chandler family head of security.
There are lots of others - maids, rednecks, people on the family payroll, mobsters, attorneys, guards, etc., but the true supporting standout is Tina McCoy (Linda Dorsey), the lounge singer who becomes not only Cal's mistress, but his drug supplier and the cause of his ultimate downfall. Though her first song sort of stops the highly energetic show dead in its tracks, there is no denying that Ms. Dorsey can sing. Woo hoo!
This is a show that, in spite of its cartoon-like style and the flaws inherent in that choice, really works. Balgord and Mistretta really work it, to great success. The energy of the company and the dynamic pace of the show keeps the level intense. The choreography and costumes are a lot of fun. And, as I said, Bienskie is a star - it's just a matter of the right people seeing him. He can sell a song, a joke and a feeling with the best of 'em! There are some songs in this show that are very good, too. "America's Son", "I See the Future", "Simple Words" and "Don't Blame the Prince" are particular favorites.
My only regret is that I didn't get to meet the other TB forumers (we didn't seem to recognize each other - I guess we all don't radiate like I thought), but here's my advice. Go to Washington, D.C. See the FDR Memorial and meet at least one of your Senators. Eat some fish at The Mercury Grill. Try to get the WEST Wing tour of The White House (it's very cool to see The Oval Office). Always travel with an umbrella. Try to see "The Fix". And, if you can't do any of that, keep your eye out for Stephen Bienskie - he's gonna be BIG.
By Joseph S. Yuen on March 20, 1998 preview show
I am very curious as to how similar were the London and the U.S. versions of THE FIX.
To make a long story short, I did indeed feel that the three leads of Linda Balgord (Violet), Sal Mistretta (Grahame), and Stephen Bienskie (Cal) did exceptionally well - especially Linda Balgord (of which I now regret never having seen her in SUNSET) - however only as well as the show itself allowed. They set themselves apart from what I found to be otherwise a show that was difficult to follow, and at many times lacking in a stage production and direction to an extent that was literally laughable, and memorable only in the effect of how the show might be improved.
I found the choreography to be so deficient and destracting that at many times, my mind strayed from the story - that is, when my mind was able to follow the story in the first place. No, I knew what was going on, but there's a difference between knowing what's going on, and following the story. While I didn't dislike the numbers, many of them seemed very awkward to me in the placement within the show. I think ONE, TWO, THREE could have got the point across in a shorter amount of time (read: the song was too long and too annoying for its purpose). SIMPLE WORDS was a good idea for a song, but all of that was lost in my distraction that was created from the silly choreography job of the reporters during that number. Lo' and behold, I was rewarded with this sequence once again in a reprise in the second act. Another number that totally mesmerized me was MERCY ME. The hypnotic waving of those feathers totally took me out of the picture, and I could not help but to feel sorry for Sal Mistretta - not for his character's predicament, but for him having to play through what I found to be the low point of the show.
There were some numbers that I did find to have much merit. I SEE THE FUTURE was done quite nicely by Stephen Bienskie and was really the first number that grabbed my attention. I though Linda Balgord was excellent with SPIN, and she made me want to see more of her in the future. There were some others, but I regret that my memory doesn't serve me well enough to exactly pinpoint the parts that I actually found stimulating as opposed to those parts that I thought needed some work.
To sum it up, I really do think that the show could be staged much better, and that the book itself could be a catalyst for a far more entrancing show. I didn't dislike it so much as I wished that it could be better. How can it be improved? Unfortunately, I don't have all the answers (I'm not in the business), but I would hope that it would start off with a more organized production. The way the staging shifted violently from a pop-rock genre, to a showtune atmosphere, and then to a vaudeville-like number, was a bit distressing. While I think it works for some shows, I don't think they made it work here. Too many times I was left in the midst of one scene, still thinking of what just happened in the last scene.
Again, I think the performances of Linda, Sal, and Stephen were exceptional - and they I think they should really be proud of what they accomplish with what they have. I am tempted to say that they deserve better, but I also think that this show could be better, in which I would feel otherwise. Further, I should note that the show is still in previews, and changes might and probably are underway, which may make some of these points moot.
Of course, I could be WAY off base here. The audience seemed to embrace it excitedly with open arms the night I was there. I understand that certain performances have been sold out. So, perhaps I am in the minority - but I guess that's what this "review" was only meant to be: how *I* viewed the show. I am neither a theatre professional, nor do I work in the business. I certainly don't write reviews for a living. However, I would like to think that I (as well as the people on this forum, and those exposed to theatre as we know it) might be more critical of the show than the majority of the audience that I witnessed (assuming that many of them are area residents), but there is no guarantee of that, and I could be very well off base. But, personally, I find it hard to believe that it can survive in any competitive market in its current state.
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