OFF-BROADWAY REVIEW
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
Reviewed by David Sanchez
Published 2008-08-14
Close to beginning of “Around the World in 80 Days”, just as our hero Phileas Fogg is about to embark on his journey, one of his peers remarks that “It’s an awfully big world.” Phileas Fogg says “It was once…” It is a response simultaneously somber and soberly in awe. The director Michael Even Haney notes Jules Verne, the original author of the novel, predicted the globalization of the world. But if our modern 21st century population takes our close-knit world for granted with the internet, the Olympics, and the entire world media, Verne’s story and indeed the Irish Repertory’s production, reminds us that a little over one-hundred years ago, the idea of traveling to distant and exotic lands for adventure and exploration (not vacations and exploitation) was once near impossible and fraught with more danger and wonder than today’s challenges of just trying to find cheap airfare and a decent hotel.
The story revolves around the aforementioned Phileas Fogg who places a wager that he can travel the world in eighty days to the hour, minute, and second. Scrupulous and conscientious are not strong enough words for this man. He is unflappable and always prepared, dispassionate and never overtaken by emotional outbursts. “The unforeseen does not exist,” he says. Another one of his statements – “Math is constant. Math is reliable.” – again points to this man’s cold and calculated character; however, he is hardly a man one would find disagreeable or unlikable. For all of these qualities, the character is resourceful, kind, principled, and courageous. Daniel Stewart inhabits the part like no other, playing the perfect straight man to the other four circling actors.
If Fogg is tall and dashing, his manservant Passepartout is his polar opposite. Passepartout is part Arlecchino/part Bugs Bunny/part Charlie Chaplin. Enough cannot be said for this performance by the talented Evan Zes. It is a once in a lifetime comedic performance and shouldn’t be missed. John Keating, an Irish Repertory favorite, plays (amongst other parts) Detective Fix, a.k.a Mr. Det-ah-um-fix, who, suspecting him to be a thief, pursues Phileas Fogg. Jay Russell pulls up the slack as a host of other characters. Counted off the top of my head, Mr. Russell must play at least fifteen different characters over the course of the show all with different costumes, wigs, and fake moustaches. In the forty-five minute second act alone, he must play at least ten of these within ten minutes. Lastly, the beautiful Aouda, an Indian princess, is played beautifully by Lauren Elise McCord. This is truly an ensemble piece, each actor providing support for the other in a wonderful tapestry of theatrical performances.
Perhaps it is a misrepresentation to begin this review on such somber and serious reflections because this is a comedy through and through. These characters are all broadly comedic, and the action is frenetic and physical. The dialogue is punchy and witty filled with zingers, pop-culture, and word play. It’s an inspired piece of theater by playwright Mark Brown and director Michael Evan Haney. The idea that theater magic could be created in a space seating one hundred and twenty people on a stage no bigger than five-hundred square feet of playing space is partly due to the elegant yet sparse set design by Joseph P. Tilford and the wonderfully organic sound design by David Andrew Levy.
It isn’t at all surprising that such innovative and wildly frenetic show would come from Cincinnati Playhouse, which was responsible for the revivals of both Sweeney Todd and Company in which the characters served as the orchestra as well as the actors. The innovation for “Around the World in 80 Days” seems much more pragmatic and useful to the scheme of the story. While we are watching the show enthralled at the theatrical daring of it all, it doesn’t seem to be so much an act where the performance becomes a stunt all to see if it can be pulled off. Rather, all the elements of the play serve the play and not the other way around. If anyone curious about what off-Broadway’s best has to offer this year – indeed, what theater’s best has to offer – this show is not to be missed!
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