Cameron’s Review Of Anastasia At Ovens Auditorium
Last night, I was able to go to the opening night of the new Broadway musical, Anastasia.
Anastasia is at Ovens Auditorium through October 16th.
As a theatre minor, and someone who spent most of childhood in theatre, I’m embarrassed to say that this was the show I’ve seen at Ovens Auditorium. I loved the movie Anastasia when I was younger, so I was excited to see the live adaptation.
Here is my honest, no holds-bar review:
The Music
Of course you know the famous songs from the movie, but this musical features 31 songs in it. While beautifully written, I do think there was a bit too much music. I would have enjoyed a little more dialogue between songs. The first Act seemed to draw on a little long with 16 songs in it alone.
The Costumes
The costumes were one of my favorite parts of this production. Immediately, when you see the royal Romanoff families’ attire, you can tell the detail and effort that went into the costuming for this show. I was transfixed on the sparkle of the Queen’s garment, as well as the blue dress that Anastasia wears to meet her grandmother. The costumes get a 10/10 for me with this show!
The Acting
Overall I thought the acting was good! The actors all had great voices, and were able to tell the stories clearly, even though most of the story was told through song. I thought the two leads had great chemistry, but the real show stealers, and stand outs were Madeline Raube, and Bryan Seastrom, who play Countess Lily, and Vlad respectfully.
The Set/ Tech
The set and tech are where this show REALLY shines, and where I would urge you to check it out. The set, while simple in appearance, uses graphics, photos, and lighting to transport you. The way the pictures on the backdrop of the set were able to paint a portrait of a time, and create very unique visuals was extremely cool.
Overall
I would definitely recommend checking this show out at Oven’s Auditorium while it’s still here. It ran a little over 2 and a half hours, but I found it to be entertaining, and endearing! I would give it a 7/10. I have to subtract some points as I think the story is just better suited for film. I also think some of the acting was a bit overplayed, but again… it’s theatre. The set, costume, and lighting is really what took this play to a new level, and would make me recommend it
