Theater review: Once On This Island

 

                               

Moonlight Stage Productions opens its first full-scale musical in over a year (and not a moment too soon) with Lynn Ahrens’ jaunty, Calypso-inflected “Once On This Island,” a retelling of the old “Little Mermaid” tale. Paul David Bryant directs.

Almost more opera than musical – the show packs 20 songs in a show that would run maybe 85 minutes without intermission – this tells (or rather, sings) the story of a Caribbean “island of two different worlds” and the young girl named Ti Moune (Brooke Henderson), who tries to bring them together.

Ti Moune herself was found high in a tree after a huge storm. She was rescued and adopted by local peasants Mama Euralie (Patricia Jewel) and Tonton Julian (Leo Ebanks). A serious-minded girl, Ti Moune wants to find her purpose in life.

On the other end of the island live the “grands hommes” swells (descendants of French planters) who, like most swells, are partial to big parties and strong drinks.

Mama Euralie asks the gods to give Ti Moune her purpose in life, preferably love.

Since this is a fairy tale, we also have gods – the goddess of love Erzulie (Anise Ritchie); the god of water Agwe (Nathan Andrew Riley); mother of the earth Asaka (Jodi Marks) and of course the colorful demon of Death Papa Ge (Edred Utomi). Papa Ge proposes a test to determine which is stronger, love or death.

One day Ti Moune is out walking after a huge storm when she sees an obviously injured “swell.” She runs to his aid, saves his life, and of course falls in love with him. He is Daniel (Ala Tiatia-Garaud), and he quickly becomes quite taken with her as well.

Can this work out? Will it? You’ll have to see the play to find out. 

This production boasts a strong cast of singers and dancers (well directed by Bryant) in wildly fanciful rented costumes which almost deserve their own bow. My favorite character was Edred Utomi’s amusing demon Papa Ge.

Lyndon Pugeda conducts (and plays in) the boffo band of six. 

“Once On This Island” isn’t the best musical ever written, but it’s an amusing way to spend a summer evening. Even more important, theater is back!