Michael Reckord, Reviewer
WHEN SINGER-ACTOR, and now producer, Steve Higgins starts exploring as he should the possibilities of taking his first production to the USA, he might run into difficulties with its name.
The authorities there might not approve the staging of his show under the name, The Time of Your Life, for that's the title of a William Saroyan drama first produced in New York City in 1939. (It was also at the Ward Theatre about 30 years ago.)
Higgins apparently hadn't heard of the Saroyan hit when he titled his musical or is it a concert? This show, featuring 40 songs made popular between the 1920s, has such a slim storyline that one questions Higgins' description of it as a "romantic musical."
Well, one questions the noun, if not the adjective. "Romantic" it certainly is, being all about love and its attendant problems and joys.
It played at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts (PSCCA) over the last two "week-beginnings" (Monday Wednesday). Last Wednesday saw its official closing, but so good has been its reception in terms of both numbers and audience enthusiasm that Higgins is trying to extend the run, perhaps at another venue. In a backstage discussion Monday night, Higgins called the show "an expensive production." It looks like one, what with an attractive (though simple) set by Bert Rose; lovely costumes designed by Barry Moncrieffe; and orchestration by Paulette Bellamy and Godfrey Taylor (who provided keyboard accompaniment for the singers) and Conroy Cooper.
Then there was the largish cast of experienced singers Cecil Cooper, Pam Hall, Andrew Lawrence, Marsha Locke, Christine McDonald, Keisha Patterson, David Reid, Clover Watts, Dahlia Wynter and Higgins, himself. The concept of the show is so simple and has so much potential as the basis of a good production, it's surprising it is not used often. As you'll have gathered, Higgins selected a few dozen popular songs on a theme and tried weaving them together with narrative.
His selection and theme were winners, and it's a pity he didn't create a stronger story. His own description of the story is that it "tracks the romantic escapades of three men in a fun, light-hearted way." The men he terms "a confirmed bachelor and cynic," "a celebrated 'player'," and "an unrepentant romantic." Cooper, Lawrence and Higgins are introduced as the characters in these roles, respectively; and, generally speaking, they are given songs which fit the roles. Unfortunately, their personalities don't emerge sharply throughout the production.
This weakness has to sources - the absence of a strong narrative and the absence of a dramatic director. Higgins wrote a minimal amount of narration, which is sung to nursery rhyme tunes, and though clever it's not enough.
No director is named in the programme, so who directed the cast in blocking and interpretation of lines is unrevealed. Was it the Artistic Director, Bert Rose? He is not even credited with the choreography, of which there is too little for a true musical.
These weaknesses did not prevent the production from getting a standing ovation Monday night. Without them, though, there would have been icing on what is, admittedly, a very nice cake.
The songs a mix of reggae, pop, Broadway show songs, semi-classical works and operetta material are all beautiful and were well delivered by performers who know how to tug at an audience's heartstrings. Highlights included Born Free (Cooper), Can You Feel the Love Tonight? (Patterson), You Don't Know How it Feels,(Lawrence), Perhaps Love, (Reid and Higgins), Fever, (Hall) and Love Changes Everything (Wynter).
Thousands didn't get a chance to see it during its short run. Let's hope it returns.
