DADDY LONG LEGS A CHARMING BUT OVERLY LONG WINNER
Jerusha Abbott (Megan McGinnis), an orphan girl sent to a prestigious college by an anonymous benefactor she dubs "Daddy Long Legs," cannot imagine her guardian is actually the wealthy Jervis Pendleton (Robert Adelman Hancock) in the World Premiere of John Caird and Paul Gordon's DADDY LONG LEGS at TheatreWorks. Photo by Tracy Martin
DADDY LONG LEGS a new Musical Romance with book and directed by John Caird, music and lyrics by Paul Gordon and orchestrations by Paul Gordon. TheatreWorks, Mountain View Center for Performing Arts, 500 Castro St.,
DADDY LONG LEGS A CHARMING BUT OVERLY LONG WINNER
Second acts have the notorious bad reputation as often being the ruin of superlative first acts. In the case of the co-world premiere of Daddy Long Legs, the second act comes to life with activity, conflict and character interaction creating a fine ending to the evening. Despite the superb acting, singing and stage presence of Megan McGinnis and Robert Adelman Hancock the first act tends to be overlong and repetitious. However, the genius of famed director John Caird (Les Miserables and Nicholas Nickleby)and composer/lyricist Paul Gordon (Emma, Jane Eyre) shines through this new age chamber musical making it an audience pleaser.
Do not go to the theater with the preconceived notion that the story line follows that of the movie with the same name starring Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron. The source for this version is the original epistletory 1912 novel by Jean Webster that has had many reincarnations as a play, as a musical(s), a TV serial and as a movie(s). The letters from the novel provide the inspiration for the dialog and lyrics. It still is a work in progress and is a co-production with the Rubicon Theatre Company in
This Daddy Long Legs recreates the true feeling of the novel following a young girl’s growth into a self sufficient womanhood during the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20 centuries. The girl is Jerusha Abbott ( McGinnis) a talented orphan living in the John Grier Asylum. Inexplicably an unknown wealthy benefactor, Jervis Pendleton (Hancock) offers to pay for her college education. Having only seen his shadow projected on a wall, she playfully dubs him “Daddy Long Legs”. The only stipulation on Jerusha is that she must write to “Mr. Smith”, Jervis’s pseudonym, once a month without the expectation of answering letters.
The letters are entertaining, informative and often humorous arousing the interest of her benefactor. Although it is a two handed musical, we through the letters sung in musical comedy type of recitative, get to meet and understand the personalities of those whom she meets. Caird smartly deviates from the book by allowing Jervis to write letters of reply but they are never mailed. The pair does eventually meet leading to a happy ending that is extremely touching.
You will not leave the theatre humming any of the tunes but Paul Gordon’s music and lyrics, played superbly by a 6 piece orchestra, have a haunting quality in perfect harmony with Jersuha’s rite of passage and Jervis’s progressing fascination with her sojourn and maturity. Highly recommended with the caveat that there is a 2 hour and 30 minute running time.
Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of www.Theatreworldinternetmagazine.com