Amélie The Musical, receiving its Chicago premiere from Kokandy Productions in a Chopin Theatre basement studio smartly reimagined as a romantic slice of Paris, hides a lively, engaging show under the weight of an aimless first act and a distractingly bad wig atop the head of its richly talented and charismatic young star.
Apparently assuming the audience is familiar with the charming 2001 film it’s based on, the musical delivers a head-scratching first act. Why should we care about Amélie Poulain or her odd-duck parents? What are the key plot points driving the story forward? It’s a cute-overload mystery that becomes somewhat taxing as we long to have a narrative hook to grab hold of beyond Amélie’s whimsical desire to do good deeds inspired by the death of Princess Diana.
Act two is a comparative delight. We see that Amélie is seeking to find her place in the world after the sheltered upbringing she (and we) have just endured. Now in her early twenties, she is ready to find a romantic partner. And there is one worth pursuing: a young man, Nino Quincampoix, who scours the city’s photo booths for dropped photos and places them into a scrapbook. Many of them are torn up pictures of a mysterious person that Nino has taped back together for installation in the book.
Amélie and Nino have met in passing a few times and felt sparks, but shyness wins out. Now, though, Amélie sees Nino at a Metro station rushing for a train. When he accidentally leaves his photo book behind, she grabs it and employs it in a flirtatious game of cat and mouse with Nino. Will she give it back? Will she find the courage to meet Nino again for a proper introduction and perhaps more? It’s fun to watch the back-and-forth play out (even though Nino and the rest of us ultimately find ourselves urging Amélie to end the games already and let love bloom).
Aurora Penepacker and Joe Giovannetti shine in the lead roles, both displaying fine singing voices and plenty of nebbishy chemistry somewhat echoing Little Shop of Horrors. There’s a lid for every kettle and these two kids are destined for each other. Penepacker, a highlight of last fall’s Chicago premiere of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 at Writers Theatre, remains a talent to watch. This show is the perfect vehicle for her.
Though the book, by Craig Lucas, is in need of a major overhaul to find the great 90-minute story in what is now nearly two and a half hours long with intermission, the score–with music by Daniel Messé and lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Messé–is a winner, especially the gorgeous “Halfway,” “Thin Air,” “Times Are Hard for Dreamers” and the evocative “When the Booth Goes Bright.”
Ultimately, Amélie The Musical provides a night of great music in a fun immersive set populated by a talented group of actors who double as musicians in a show seamlessly choreographed by director/choreographer Derek Van Barham and musical directors T.J. Anderson and Anna Wegener.
You just might want to skip the first act.
Amélie The Musical runs through September 28 at the Chopin Theatre.
For a full roundup of reviews of this show, visit Theatre in Chicago.
Photo by Michael Brosilow
