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This paper is a critique of a production of Show Boat, a musical classic with compositions by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, which was performed and produced by NETworks Presentations LLC at Even Auditorium on the 14 th of February 2001. Clayton Phillips, the director of the production, attempted to test the waters of racial discrimination by exploring controversial themes such as prejudice and interracial relationships. Show Boat takes an enlightened approach to ethnic controversy by using both music and drama to express the feelings and hopes of the characters to the audience. Even though I enjoyed the production, I felt that it was lacking in terms of its plot and may have overused its melodic reprises. However, Show Boat truly succeeds with entertaining an audience. The plot of Show Boat is at times difficult to comprehend because its confusing plot.
The surprises in the plot were far too unexpected. Julie Laverne was whisked away very early in the show and suddenly appeared many scenes later. A quick montage was the only visual cue to tell us that Reveal had lost all his money and all the while, the director seemed to keep sweeping us along ever faster in the swirling epic feel of the show, making the plot even more difficult to follow. The performers were quite remarkable. Not only were they skilled actors, they were talented vocalists as well. They easily adapted to their roles in the performance, as if their abilities came naturally.
Their physical appearances, as well as their character portrayals, were as I have imagined them. The costumes did not restrict the movement of the actors and permitted them to perform their movements and gestures with ease. The scenes and props complimented the attire of the performers, blending together create a magnificent display. The scenery was realistic enough to afford the viewer an escape into depths of the show. The setting was beautiful and the structures almost lifelike, excepting the absence of a front screen door. It seems that almost all plays and television shows I have viewed neglect this detail.
The stage lighting played a key role in the show by setting the mood of the performance during soulful, pensive songs. In contrast, the lighting proved to be a detriment by overbearing the performance of the artists, in that ones attention was drawn to the glare of extreme quantities of makeup rather than the actions of the characters. This was most notable during the final portions of the production. The entertainers gave their characters genuine life through their gestures, attitude and charm. Even the way the voices led one to believe that the characters were actually presenting their own thoughts and ideas, not those of fictional characters. During the play, the voices of the performers were quite audible, excepting certain musical presentations when the lyrics of the songs were at points nearly indiscernible.
Even with consideration given to this technical glitch, the sound quality was quite agreeable and the songs enjoyable. The voices of the performers were strong and reflected each individual characters well, particularly Frances A Jones (Queenie) and Jean Michelle Grier (Julie Laverne). Although I am not fond of such musical styles, Phillip Lamar Boykin (Joe) captured my attention with his presentation of Ol Man River. However, the repetitive use of some songs presented a loss of interest at times for the viewer.
There were many reprises, most memorably the song Cant Help Lovin Dat Man. I must have heard this song presented in every fashion - belted, shouted and whispered. Ol Man River and Make Believe also seemed to play almost constantly. Although the musical sound was grand, the lyrics of the vocals were almost undistinguishable, especially as a first time listener. I believe that, even though this particular performance of Show Boat could be improved, when it comes to the story plot, the musical reprises and the sound quality of the vocals, Show Boat is not a disappointment if you truly enjoy watching emotional epics with a musical theme.
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Research essay sample on Ol Man River Voices Of The Performers Show
