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Flora, The Red Menace
Based on Lester Atwell’s novel, Love is Just Around the Corner
Music John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Book by David Thompson
Produced by Theo Ubique Theatre Company
(in association with Michael James)
At No Exit Café
6970 N. Glenwood
Chicago, IL
Call 773-743-3355, tickets $22
Dinner/theatre package $35
Fridays & Saturdays at 8 PM
Sundays at 7 PM
(dinner starts one hour before showtime)
Running time is 2 hours, 30 minutes with intermission
Through July, 2006
Flora, the Red Menace has its moments
Kinder & Ebb’s first collaboration, Flora, the Red Menace, produced the 1965 musical that made a star out of Liza Minnelli. Theo Ubique Theatre’s mounting uses David Thompson’s revised book (from the 1987 revival) that leaves a sad ending that is hardly satisfying. The book hurts the production as it suffers since it can’t make up its mind if it’s Flora’s show, a love story or a political musical drama pitting communism versus capitalism or is it a satire of the 1930’s socialist shows like Cradle Will Rock? Still Flora contains enough clever, bouncy tunes and funny situations to be pleasing to those who enjoy vintage Broadway musicals.
We meet Flora (Elizabeth Lesinski) a recent high school graduate as she endeavors to find work in Manhattan in the 1930’s during the dog days of the Great Depression. She meets up with a group of unemployed artists who share her studio as each struggles to find work. Flora is attracted to the shy, stuttering Harry (Jeremy Trager) who convincers the people-pleasing Flora to join the communist party. When she lands a terrific job as a fashion designer at a local department store, the party officials, lead by Charlotte (Danielle Brothers) who has a crush on Harry, decide to form a picket line there in an attempt to unionize the store. Flora must chose between Harry, communism and her career. This is all presented with a varied score of clever tunes that indicate the fresh new voice of John Kander and Fred Ebb who’ll go on to write Cabaret, Chicago and Kiss of the Spiderwoman.
Tunes like “All I Need is One Good Break” and the clever “Sign Here,” where Jeremy Trager’s Harry convinces Flora to sign on as a party member highlight the show. The terrific tap number, “Keepin’ it Hot” features nice tap work from D. Eric Woolweber and Chelsea Dolinar-Hikawa. Danielle Brothers steals the show with her zany Charlotte, the zealot communist in the “The Flame” anthem. She is a hoot in her scenes.
Jeremy Trager is the real star of this show as he plays the stuttering, shy communist love interest for Flora. Trager has excellent acting chops and a wide ranging voice. He delivers several funny bits and sells Flora the party line in the difficult to sing “Sign Here.” The ensemble work is outstanding featuring glowing harmonies, cute humor and energetic movements that give the show a big feel on the intimate stage at the Café.
Much of the show hinges on Flora and unfortunately Elizabeth Lesinski lacks the cuteness, the bubbling pizzazz necessary to give Flora the flair and charisma to carry the show. Lesinski doesn’t smile enough, lacks projection on her softer lines and seems to labor to hit her comic bits. Her voice and energy level gets her through nicely and she delivers Flora’s angst. She lands “Quiet Thing” richly. Once she lightens up and relaxes, she’ll really be Flora.
This production contains lots of energy and enjoyable moments to carry the evening despite the convoluted book. This rarely produced show is worth catching.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2006
Jeff Recommended
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