REVIEW: ‘Amadeus’ allows actors to show their stuff
Though it is a story of music and musicians, “Amadeus,” the major drama in the summer season of the Old Lyric Repertory Company, is certainly not a musical — no one bursts into song and dances about the stage. Rather it is an examination of two lives, their interactions and pains, and is a perfect vehicle for actors to display their dramatic chops.
The Tony-award winning play (1980) orchestrates politics, talent, religion and intrigue through the eyes of composer Antonio Salieri. The play was adapted into an award-winning film, as well, and though viewers might want to take its historical portrayal as seemingly accurate, the story of the lives of Mozart and Salieri are highly fictionalized.
What is true, however, is that the OLRC opening of “Amadeus” displayed several top-drawer performances and, if only to see actors performing their craft at a high level, should not be missed.
First and foremost is Justin Ivie as Salieri. Ivie is passionate, intense and easy on the ear in the production’s major role. Ivie handles the sometimes-awkward transition from speaking directly to the audience then melding into his character onstage deftly and smoothly. Many of Ivie’s monologues and lengthy and involved, but they are very necessary and done in a way to hold the audience’s interest perfectly.
Especially noteworthy scenes by Ivie are when Salieri makes his various and changing pacts with God, when he presents his welcoming march to Mozart, and, near the play’s conclusion, when he seeks forgiveness from Mozart.
In many way’s “Amadeus” is almost a one-man show. The entire storyline flows from the mind of Saliei, as he narrates his early life, his rise as a composer in Vienna, and his interactions with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
“Amadeus” is very much an actor’s play, in that the set design is very minimalistic, stripping bare any distractions that might take away from the sometimes stark presentation taking place on stage. Dennis Hassan’s normal intricate and eye-catching designs in this case are only sheer draperies at several points on the stage. Lighting (design by Jarrod Larsen) is well-done and adds to the production, including moments in the second act when shadows of Mozart are displayed on the upper brow of the Caine Theatre while he serves as conductor on the theater floor below. Costuming is more elaborate than normal for the OLRC (designed by Nancy Hills) and comes to the forefront because it is not competing with the set for attention.
Nicholas Dunn portrays a troubled but talented Mozart very well, never going beyond the mark to overplay the composer’s many quirks. Constanze, wife to Mozart, is played by Amanda Mahoney, who rises to the difficult role of a woman is who is often caught in the middle of Mozart’s problems.
Also noteworthy are W. Lee Daily, Patrick Williams and Corey Ewan as members of the court of the Emperor of Austria, who has commissioned work from Mozart. Williams is particularly well-suited, with posture, facial expressions and delivery that command the audience’s eye when he is on stage.
“Amadeus” reminds that “only by music do I know God exists” and sounds a still-true-today warning that the line between fame and infamy can often be a thin one.
“Amadeus” runs in repertory with “The 39 Steps,” “Little Shop of Horror,” and “See How They Run” until Aug. 6 in the Caine Lyric Theatre, 28 West Center, Logan. Tickets at http://arts.usu.edu