For those who haven't kept up with the latest in Broadway news, you most likely wouldn't have known Dave Malloy's magical production of "Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812." Regardless of whether they won the Tony for Best Musical, this show had such a unique experience that couldn't easily be replicated.
In order to gain a true understanding of the show, you need to understand its origins. "Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812" is based on a 70-page piece of war and peace, following the story of a betrothed love gone wrong. Every character, though unique in their own way, is pulled into the story perfectly and with ease. An unusual detail is that there is nearly no speaking throughout the show.
The staging itself is an experience. As soon as you enter the theatre, you're instantly transported into a 19th-century Russian supper club, surrounded by velvet walls and perfectly placed large-scale mirrors. Seating is that of an interactive adventure. No matter where you are seated throughout the theatre, you are submerged in the story. Actors will come running up beside you, playing their instruments and handing you props. As soon as you sit down, you are part of the story, and no other show had performed that successfully, until now.
The score, set up to mimic that of an opera, tell a beautiful story. No matter if the characters are depicting different scenes on the stage at the same time, the music fits perfectly for any occasion. The integration of traditional Russian music and modern house/EDM music attracts audiences of all ages and can be played in any environment. The most interesting part of the score is that almost every single member of the cast plays an instrument, all while dancing and singing. Out of every Broadway musical of the 2016-2017 season, this was the only one to offer such a unique performance.
Character development is key for any show, but the intricate details contained in each and every character that graced the stage were spectacular. Throughout the show, you would learn to love or loathe the characters, though all flawed. This also helped with audience participation, as everyone acts as though the audience is in the scene with them. If you were to be sitting on the stage, you got to experience this first-hand, as the actors would talk to you, or even sit next to you. Possibly the most enthralling character development is in the song "Prologue", followed by "Pierre." In these two songs, all of the principal roles are introduced, giving an insight into how each character will act throughout the show. You learn that Balaga is fun, Bolkonsky is crazy, Mary is plain, Dolokhov is fierce, Helene is a slut, Anatole is hot, Marya is old-school, Sonya is good, Natasha is young, and of course, the entire plotline is delivered in the first song, which is Andrey isn't here. Pierre, who is introduced in his self-titled song, is said to be a drunk, unhappy man with wealth. So many shows don't focus on that much on backstories for minor characters, but Dave Malloy took the extra time and effort to fully construct every character to his liking, which is incredibly admiral.
Though this show had to end abruptly, it's eccentricity and out-of-the-box format will leave a lasting stain on the theatre buff's mind. "Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812," you may not have lasted long, but you'll go down in history books for sure. As for now, I only have four words.
Goodbye, my Gypsy lovers.
