REVIEW: Play On! (Signature Theatre)
Happy new season to those who celebrate (presumably you)! Between now through September, expect a flurry of new openings and reviews to hit the pages. First up is Signature’s first of the season, a sparkly new revue chronicling the standards of Duke Ellington — with a bit of Bard thrown in the mix.
Book/Music
Cheryl L. West’s book attempts to string together a jukebox musical out of Duke' Ellington’s wide array of standards (dare I say a Dukebox?). Though it leads with intrigue, it ultimately becomes the weakest element of an otherwise fun evening. It doesn’t do anything bad, per se; it follows the attempts at Vy, an optimistic woman from the South who wants to make it in Harlem as a songwriter. In fact, it doesn’t “do” anything, which is where my faults lie with it. The Duke is her idol-slash-celebrity crush, so the opportunity to work with him is a dream. Thing is: he doesn’t believe women can be songwriters due to a lack of depth. So with the help of her cousin, Jester, she begins dressing as a man under the name of “Vy Man”. (Sound familiar? It’s essentially just Twelfth Night set in the Harlem Renaissance.) But as easy as it is to dress up Shakespeare in a flapper fit and go to town with some well-orchestrated big band, there doesn’t have to be such rigid rules. Especially in this take, the dialogue between some characters teeters aggressively on the thin line of queerness that I felt should have been explored to discern the work from its basis. In an era with an “Anything Goes” approach to social norms, in a work whose principal message is what women “can or can’t” do, it would have been a welcomed twist on the source that felt more satisfying than what was delivered. 5/10
Acting
A great ensemble is anchored by a sensational Awa Sal Secka as the femme fatale Lady Liv, whose singing still must be heard to be believed — even if it’s your umpteenth time. Additionally, I found her acting in this role to be particularly strong, only further cementing her as must-see local theatre. Though this does mean she is more of a scene-stealer from the likes of the main performers, principally Jalisa Williams (Vy) and Greg Watkins (Duke). Their swagger is more cautious, but both feel extra jazzy. Among the smattering of sides, I found the two-sided take on Rev from Chuckie Benson to be full of exciting range and emotional heft. 7/10
Production
Director Lili-Anne Cooper and choreographer Breon Arzell reunite in the DMV, following 2023’s Helen Hayes Award-winning Fela! at Olney. You see the hallmarks of the former’s brilliance all there: snappy scene transitions, jaunty charisma, and even some light audience interaction (thanks to the floor seating at cabaret tables). The end result is just as good as you’d expect. It’s hard not to be impressed initially by the Cotton Club set by Dan Conway, which features feathery chandeliers and art deco ironwork on the wings. It doesn’t move much, but the lighting by Jason Lynch keeps things fluid and eye-catching. The action kick off with a flurry of taps, leading into a jolly group number that is just a taste of Arzell’s electrifying dances that unfold over the two-and-a-half-hour runtime. The rest of the superb production designs then to seep from the walls, as the remaining ensemble members emerge in Samantha C. Jones’ vibrantly dated costumes. 10/10
Viz
The key are they’ve been using takes a little more than a glance to gather the cross-dressing that’s depicted (it mostly just looks like a grinning dancer), but it does convey the right points. But a lot of the confusion gets vaporized instantly when walking into the MAX theatre, which is an opulent Cotton Club setting that razzles and dazzles. 8/10
Verdict
Play On! is a delightful spin on Twelfth Night that has a lot going for it in the spectacle department, even if the book is a little thin. 30/40
