The Scarlet Pimpernel
Seattle CitySearch
"The Scarlet Pimpernel" often walks in the shadow of Broadway's much-touted French Revolution icon, "Les Miserables." In truth, "Pimpernel" offers a swashbuckling musical frolic of fiends and fops�a welcome relief from a decade-plus of those sing-all-the-lines musical sagas.
When "The Scarlet Pimpernel" first opened on Broadway in 1997, critics and theater sophisticates soundly denounced it; but "citizens" loved the musical. A year into the run, the producers even brought in a new director/choreographer, Robert Longbottom, to revamp the show�a decision that extended the Broadway run to two years. This superior, "spruced up" version, now playing the Paramount, zig zags between musical epic and old-fashioned musical comedy. Although the first minutes of the musical drag�no pun intended�the book chugs forward like the little engine that tried. With every minute, the show gains artistic momentum.
One element remains constantly triumphant in both versions�Douglas Sills, in his dual roles as Sir Percy Blakeney and the Scarlet Pimpernel. In fact, the success of the touring show is largely due to a group of talented foppish fellows, brilliantly led by Sills, who, as the original Tony-nominated Broadway Pimpernel has lost nothing of his passion and panache. He was great then; he's greater now, deserving superstar status in the musical-theater realm. He's a consummate comedian with impeccable timing, as well as a dramatic actor with a sensational voice. Bottom line: He knows how to sell the song in full Broadway style.
His talented troupe of English aristocrats follows close behind�noble fops in England; valiant rescuers in France. Two of the best�and most hilarious�scenes in the musical are devoted to their transformation, especially in the haberdashery department. Costume designer Jane Greenwood has outdone herself. Looking as though they had raided a millinery shop, the nobles sport feathered, flouncy chapeaus even more garish than their patterned pastel ensembles. As these flamboyant coxcombs of fashion don their buttons and bows to practice their deportment for this historical charade, their flounces, frills and fabrics could make a drag queen blush. Add some prancing, mincing and "ooh la la" gestures, and voila! Faster than they can say "sink me," the Pimpernel and his fancy fops face their critics in a fabulously funny musical number, "The Creation of Man."
Before the musical, Baroness Orzcy's 1905 novel, "The Scarlet Pimpernel," spawned at least two film versions, the first starring Leslie Howard, the latter David Niven. Most of us know the story. An English aristocrat, Sir Percy Blakeney, devastated and disgusted by the brutality of the French Revolution, disguises himself and his loyal friends to rescue French aristocrats from the guillotine. So successful are his missions that the evil protectors of the new French Republic, the most perfidious of whom is Chauvelin, vow to capture the elusive Pimpernel. The complication? Sir Percy marries French actress Marguerite, a former mistress of Chauvelin�a fact she suppresses from her husband. Opportunist and blackguard Chauvelin uses her omission to blackmail her into divulging information about French aristocrats. When Sir Percy discovers her betrayal, he can't possibly tell her of his own subterfuge. Things reach a climactic impasse when Marguerite and her brother are captured and imprisoned in Paris.
Amy Bodnar, as Marguerite, the French actress, has a fine voice, but she occasionally pops a few tinsel tones. She's panniered in pink with a resplendent "pouf de la pouf" hairdo�so much la vie en rose," you might be tempted to call her the "Pinkernel." Still, she deserves traffic kudos for swaying those dressing-table skirts around the stage without knocking anything or anyone over. As Chauvelin, William Paul Michals possesses a strong, rich baritone-bass voice, and plenty of fiendish villainy, especially in "Where's the Girl?"
"Pimpernel"'s critics maintain that Frank Wildhorn's music and Nan Knighton's lyrics are mediocre at best, yet there is a passion to them as performed by this fine cast�especially in the rousing ensemble song, "Into the Fire" and Sill's show-stopping number, "She was There."
Although the set design, by Andrew Jackness for this touring production, is minimal, the scene at the Prince's ball enhances this simplicity. The performers wear lush, silver-lame costumes and carry black hand masks to create a stunning effect.
Speaking of appearances, someone deserves admonishment for taking liberties with the well-documented fat-boy physique of that period's Prince of Wales. Having one actor (David Cromwell) play both Robespierre and the Prince might work, if he were padded as the English ruler. This lack of creative ingenuity undermines plot credibility. If we go along with this ploy, we might suspect the Prince of being the Pimpernel.
In any case, "The Scarlet Pimpernel" provides a rousing and amusing musical entertainment for folks and fops alike. The talented Mr. Sills can rescue this audience any time.
-Starla Smith, Seattle CitySearch
March 2000
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