Carnival
Garland Civic Theatre
Reviewed by Eddy Herring
Before now, I had never heard of nor seen Carnival. The musical is based on the 1953 film Lili and was originally produced by David Merrick on Broadway in 1961. The story, set in 1962 near a small town in southern Europe, is about a young girl, Lili who comes to join the traveling carnival, and ends up becoming the love interest of both the puppeteer, Paul, a hardened man who struggles with expressing his feelings, and the magician Marco the Magnificent, a dishonest, disloyal thief. As they battle to win her attention, we discover the true character of each man, and Lili must choose only one of them.
Walking into the theater, we are met with a set that is clearly reminiscent of a traveling carnival from the mid-20th century. The colors and set pieces are whimsical and appropriate to the period. Under a tent behind a screen sits a small orchestra that will underscore the action. Live music is tough in a small space, but this group was able to accompany this production beautifully at an appropriate sound level. I was particularly impressed with the grand opening number which started softly and crescendoed into a huge number complete with showgirls in dazzling costumes and three aerial silk dancers. What a spectacular way to start off the show!
Lili, played by DonnaMarie Knight, was perfectly cast. She was able to navigate the naiveté of Lili, (whom her older suitors refer to as “just a child,”) with grace and her voice is simply lovely. Paul, played by Brandon Borick, has a rich and expressive baritone voice that accurately conveys the inner struggles inside him. Along with French sidekick Jacquot, played by Jeremy Duncan, the puppets are a joy to watch. BF Schlegel, played by David Tinney was the carnival master with a heart. Steve Golin played Marco the Magnificent and is the show’s villain, who so very convincingly manipulates everyone, including his partner Rosalie, played by Whitney Golin. However, Rosalie is smart and knows exactly who she is and who she is dealing with, and they have wonderful chemistry together. Rosalie had the strongest vocals of the night. I would like to pay special mention to the Roustabouts, played by Erik Ho, Devin Johnson, Jonathan Luce, Troy Murray, and Michael Said, whose ensemble vocals were tremendously strong and beautifully balanced. At one point, there was a big “ooh” from the audience at the fullness of their sound. Troy Murray was particularly animated and fun to watch.
Director, Patty Granville, has assembled a very strong cast who brought this story to life. The use of the full stage, entrances through the audience and large ensemble numbers draw the audience into the setting. The production team: set, lights, costumes, all did a commendable job with this piece!
This is a truly spectacular production of Carnival, bringing high-energy and vivid color! I found myself smiling throughout. It is a great evening of entertainment; one that I enjoyed every minute of. Find ticket information at garlandcivictheatre.org
Audience Rating: PG-13 (some subject matter)
Accessible Seating: Yes
Sensory Friendly Showing Available: No
Hearing Devices Available: Yes
Production Sound Level: Comfortable
Go See the Show!
Eddy Herring
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