[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of the new musical Perfect World at El Portal Theatre November 1-9.
The story of Barbara Follett is a strange one. In the 1920s, she was a highly acclaimed author, a prodigy in fact, as her first novel was published when she was only 12 and was a huge success. She wrote one more but faded from public life. However, when she was 25 and working on her third book, she vanished…without a trace.
So why write a musical about her? Well, that is probably a question for the creators. But what I can tell you is that the strange and compelling story of her life and her still unsolved disappearance translates into an utterly magical musical, filled with gorgeous, heartfelt songs and vividly layered characters.
We begin our journey with Barbara Follett when she first discovers writing at around eight and has created an entire world of her own, Farksolia. She writes continuously, driven by passion for her characters and a very real need to fix the world she is in. Remember, this is all happening in the late 20s and 30s, during the depression in the US, and with a Europe heading toward another terrible war. The world she creates is full of the kind of people she would love to live amongst. Artists, dancers, acrobats, bearded ship captains, strong men, all peacefully living together in a beautiful world, full of butterflies, nature and love. She grows from fledgling writer to beautiful young woman with ambition and a yearning to write. Her parents’ difficult relationship is her constant companion, but she finds solace with an imaginary friend, Sophie, and in her own imagination.
But Perfect World has been 15 years in the making, and you can see all that effort in every single moment of this wonderful play. And the songs!!! Absolutely brilliant, with lyrics and melody that work in perfect symphony. Not just filler to take us from one scene to the next, these songs are bursting with nuance and heartache, joy and pain.
Perfect World really is a beautiful, meaningful musical taking Barbara Follett’s story and creating something I am sure she would have treasured as much as the epic world she created in her books.
This cast is spectacular! The choreography is enchanting with copious amounts of tap dancing, and each cast member is clad in phenomenal costuming. It really does feel as if we stepped back one hundred years. El Portal Theatre, in its centennial year, was made for this show!
I highly recommend Perfect World. Don’t we need something to remind us that we really should all be reaching for our own perfect world, while we struggle through these uncertain times. Go and spend a few hours with Barbara Follete and this incredible cast of characters and find a little hope and love within this truly wonderful musical tribute to a fascinating life.
Tickets:
https://elportaltheatre.com/perfectworld.html
When:
November 1-9
Where:
El Portal Theatre
5269 Lankershim Blvd, NoHo Arts District, CA 91601
The Perfect World Cast
Gabbie Adner, Dia Day, Michael Deni, Maggie Ek, Adam Hollick, Catherine Last, Elizabeth Last, Sammy Linkowski, Charley Rowan McCain, Guy Noland, Brent Schindele, Erika Schindele, and Michael Wells.
The Team
Perfect World is directed and choreographed by Kay Cole; the music supervisor is Darryl Archibald. The creative team include Production Consultant Cody Lassen, Scenic Designer Stephen Gifford. Costume Designer Jennifer Lynn Deck, Assistant Choreographer Hector Guerrero, and Music Assistant Zev Burrows.
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