Arts & Entertainment

‘Alive and Well’

Zippy ‘Jacques Brel’ revue a smartly paced sonic treat

Published

13 years ago

September 27, 2012

‘Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living In Paris’
Through Oct. 21
MetroStage
1201 North Royal Street, Alexandria
$45-$50 (student and military discounts)
1-800-494-8497

The cast of ‘Jacques Brel,’ a well-staged French revue. (Photo courtesy MetroStage)

Belgian-born singer songwriter Jacques Brel might have joined the family cardboard manufacturing business and lived a life of quiet desperation. Happily, he didn’t. Brel instead escaped to postwar Paris and became the musical voice of his generation, turning out popular French songs about war, death, love, bulls and carousels.

In “Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris,” the best of Brel’s vast songbook is featured in two cabaret-like acts; and lucky for us locals, a topnotch production of the musical is now up and running at MetroStage (Carolyn Griffin’s intimate and estimable playhouse on the edge of Old Town Alexandria) through mid-October.

Translated from the original French by American poet Eric Blau and songwriter Mort Shuman, “Jacques Brel” premiered off-Broadway in 1968. Subsequent successful revivals have run in New York over the years including a 2006 revised production (which MetroStage is presenting).

The show opens with “Le Diable/Ca Va,” a zippy tune noting that the devil rules supreme on earth. And while Brel might believe modern existence is essentially crap, other songs prove he does find some things to savor in life like wit, wistful memories and the exquisite pain of lost love and missed opportunity.

A lot of the music is nostalgic and sounds French (accordion and all), but overall there’s variation ranging from the catchy, bourgeois-denigrating drinking song titled “The Middle Class” to “Next” (a young vet’s sardonic recollection of his experience with camp followers) to Brel’s familiar “Amsterdam,” an earthy ode to the lowly seaman, powerfully sung by Bobby Smith who brilliantly embodies the world-weary boulevardier.

Each of the show’s almost 30 songs is a self-contained story with its own beginning, middle and end all drawn from past romances, reckless youth, disappointment and hard living. Lighting designer Jessica Winfield evocatively sets the mood for each melodic tale and all four cast members are superb storytellers with terrific diction and phrasing to boot. In addition to the aforementioned Smith, the terrific cast includes Natascia Diaz, Bayla Whitten and a shaggy-haired Sam Ludwig.

Diaz performed in the off-Broadway 2006 production and it shows. She gives life to the spirit of Brel’s Paris, capturing the sadness, wit and irony in equal measure. Her heartrending interpretation of “My Death” is not soon forgotten. She’s just as effective singing Brel’s gorgeous Piaf-esque ballad “Ne Me Quitte Pas” (“Don’t Leave Me”) as the quietly potent “Old Folks,” a sort of lullaby about the inevitability of old age and death. Hers is a stunning performance.

The younger cast members Ludwig and Whitten (a lovely soprano) are excellent too. He beautifully inhabits the angry-but-girl crazy young man while she is at turns both naïve and jaded.

This “Jacques Brel” brings together Studio Theatre’s producing artistic director Serge Seiden with Signature Theatre’s associate artistic producer Matthew Gardiner (both gay). Seiden’s staging is beyond solid. The production moves briskly and seamlessly without ever feeling rushed or forced. Gardiner’s cheery choreography is reserved mostly for the more lighthearted numbers. It’s fun, but more importantly, his dance sequences allow the players to interact in ways that might otherwise appear awkward.

Except for a pole with lights evocative of a street lamp and two simple café chairs that disappear when not needed, the shadowy stage is completely bare. Off to the side, the band (ably led by musical director Jenny Cartney on piano) is visible throughout the show. It could be the late night Parisian club scene where Brel got his start. For the first act, Janine Sunday smartly costumes the cast in vaguely late-‘60s gear, nicely conveying an era of protest and change. Puzzlingly, the second act — sartorially speaking — is more a hodgepodge of castoffs.

Contrary to the title, Brel is neither well nor alive. He died of lung cancer in 1978, but the music endures. Today his songs resonate as strongly as ever. For the uninitiated (which included myself prior to a recent matinee), MetroStage’s stylish effort serves as a marvelous introduction to Brel’s work. It’s also first rate entertainment.

Related Topics:Jacques Brel is Alive and Well MetroStage Out & About

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Calendar

Calendar: May 2-8

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, May 2

“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at P.F. Chang’s. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, May 3

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgment free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events for LGBTQ People of Color, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.

Sunday, May 4

“The Chateau Drag Brunch” will be at 12 p.m. at Chicatana. Enjoy fabulous Mexican food and cocktails while being entertained by a rotating cast of the DMV’s best drag performers. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

“The Bubble: Queer Brooklyn Comics in DC” will be at 5 p.m. at As You Are. Queer comedians Charlie Flynn, Evan Lazarus and Keara Sullivan are coming down from NYC for a night of fun as they split an hour of standup comedy. For more details, visit Eventbrite.

Monday, May 5

“Center Aging Monday Coffee & Conversation” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].

Tuesday, May 6

Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more details, email [email protected].

Wednesday, May 7

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older queer women can meet and socialize with one another. We will have discussion, activities, and a chance for you to share what you want future events to include. For more details, email [email protected].

Thursday, May 8

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.

Virtual Yoga with Sarah M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.

South Asian Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The peer support group is an outlet for South Asian-identified LGBTQ individuals to come and talk about anything affecting them. It’s a secure, judgment-free environment to discuss relationships, sexuality, health, well-being, identity, culture, religion, or anything that is on your mind. For more details, email [email protected].