The Enchanted Pig at the New Victory Theater
An Opera for All Ages: Naughty and Nice
By: Susan Hall - Feb 19, 2010
The Enchanted Pig
Music by Jonathan Dove
Libretto by Alasdair Middleton
Conducted by Brad Cohen
Featuring Susan Boyd, Michelle Cornelius, Beverly Klein, Karina Lucas, Kate Nelson, Terel Nugent, Jo Servi, Tom Solomon, Derek Welton, Simon Wilding
Directed by John Fulljames
The New Victory Theatre
42nd Street, New York
www.newvictorytheatre.org
"The Hair. The Hair." Cousin Tanner, my companion for the performance of "The Enchanted Pig" at the New Victory Theater, waved his arms excitedly. On stage were three princesses with hair piled three feet high. "A bee-hive," decided Tanner. And that it was, although only someone from another age would remember the exaggerated hairdo that was de rigueur in the late 1960s.
"They match," Tanner cried out, pointing to the fabric of our seats, covered with beautiful bees. The dos were more elaborate than hives. We counted six layers.
The hairdos also evoked an ice cream cone, part of the quid pro quo list I'd prepared 'in case.' That list never had to be deployed, because Tanner sat riveted on the stage proceedings for the full two hours, totally entranced. His booster seat made him taller than me, which also helped. His comments were talked down to my level.
This opera was designed for young people by The Opera Group/ROH2 at the Royal Opera House in collaboration with the Young Vic in England. The production's small orchestra helped to keep the sung words clear and the plot easy to follow. The set is an orrery, a mechanical model of the solar system in which planets can be moved in relative position around the sun.
In the first act, the action was arresting. Not only were those incredible 'dos bopping around to catchy melodies, but the King drove a golf cart, everyone danced, and the Sun, the Moon and a planet (only one, Tanner complained) gleamed in the ceiling. Although all the dialogue is sung, the young audience had no problem accepting this operatic convention.
Midway through the first act, The 'Enchanted' Pig banged on a door at the rear of the orchestra. Sounding more like the wolf who had terrified his relatives, the pig demanded entrance. As he charged down the aisle to the stage, he poked Tanner and several other members of the audience with his nose, a special thrill.
The pilgrim's progress of Act II may have eluded some of the younger members of the audience. The princess, to retrieve her prince, must walk the world, in fact the universe as far as the Milky Way, and cover enough distance to wear out three pairs of iron shoes. How gravity effects them is left to the young scientists to figure out, but everyone enjoyed being flooded with shooting stars and nebulae.
The princess arrives at the home of the North Wind and then the Moon's and the Sun's. She requests help as the audience cheers her on. Finally she plods into the Milky Way, a gorgeous array of light. Splendid singing was also arrayed across the stage.
The delightful music of Jonathan Dove is very accessible. I have met young people who enjoyed Strauss' Elektra at nine, but they are few and far between.
Arts institutions that welcome young people are at the top of any list. It's amazing to see kids whose lives are spent on line, Facebook and YouTube playing video games, respond to live art. The treat of live performance is very special and once they are engaged, you can't keep kids down in the ether.
The New Victory is bringing young people in droves to 42nd Street. A busload of kids arrived from Park Slope for Wednesday's performance, and their excitement and pleasure was palpable.
The New Victory Theater is part of the larger redevelopment of 42nd Street which I've watched since the beehive hairstyle first arrived. Frederic Papert came up with the idea that 42nd Street should be nice but naughty. Kids want nice and naughty too -- and naughty rolling in the mud and disobeying dad were all on prominent display in The Enchanted Pig. Tanner greeted a loud pig fart with a cascade of titters.
Two particularly important programs are attached to the theater. One is apprenticeship. As a middle-aged woman who still remembers every detail of my 24/7 teenage apprenticeship at the Berkshire Playhouse in Stockbridge, Mass., I know how important this experience can be, building confidence and learning what drives the combination of passion and work.
An usher's program gives kids who may be intimidated by the theatre a chance to work. Both Tanner and I were delighted to have young people helping us get seated and also pointing out where pig noses were available.
Walking up Sixth Avenue after the show, Tanner spotted the Robert Indiana sculpture comprised of the letters L-O-V-E. He jumped into the E. While he tucked in there we had a heart to heart about the subject of the show – follow your bliss, even if it's a pig you love.
The Enchanted Pig has performances on February 19 and 20 at 7 pm, on February 20 at 1 pm and February 21 at 3 pm. Shakespeare and the Circus follow in March. We will be there.
Tickets at newvictorytheatre.org