When Can-Can premiered, way back in 1953, it was not much loved by the more rigorous critics, some of whom regarded this Montmartre musical as a kind of convenient catchall for some great Cole Porter songs. The principal problem was Abe Burrows’s book, which didn’t give the principal players any interesting backstories (that is, to speak of or to sing about).
Dynamic directors David Lee & Joel Fields have now remedied those perceived lacks for the show’s current revival at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse. I was in the US Army at Fort-Ord, California, way back in 1953, so I cannot compare that premiere with the one now in Millburn. What I can say, however, is that this is certainly a Broadway-worthy staging, packed with energy and talent, as well as several repetitions of that notorious dance that threatened to destroy the morals of any decent parisite who witnessed the exposed underdrawers of the high-kicking Can-Canners in Mme. Pistache’s notorious Bal du Paradis.
The elaborate front drop of Rob Bissinger’s Belle-Époque Montmartre features a lantern slide screen that advises the audience that this show will explain the origin of that Parisian endearment, Mon Petit Chou—or My Little Cabbage. It does so indeed. But, along the way, there are spectacular choreographies by Patti Colombo, including an astonishing Apache that makes wife abuse by NFL heroes look tame. The colorful period costumes of Anne Hould-Ward lend themselves both handsomely and flexibly to the mostly frenetic dances.
Kate Baldwin—as Pistache—is an alluring but authoritative hostess of the Bal du Paradis, which gets closed down by the police. Not only that: they are all hauled off to a monumental jail that looks like one of those looming Carceri of Piranesi’s etchings. But the reformist judge (Jason Danieley) whom Pistache has to face is, none other than the young man who once loved her long, long ago, way back in the Provinces! Along the way from lively opening to happy ending, we get to hear “C’est Magnifique,” “Allez-Vous En,” “Can-Can” and “I Love Paris”—several times, in fact.
There is a comic subplot involving the unknown Bulgarian sculptor Boris Adzinidzinadze (Greg Hildreth), his would-be Can-Canner, Claudine (Megan Sikora) and famous Parisian man-about-town art critic, Hilaire Jussac (Michael Berresse). Boris carves bizarre forms that are intended to seem laughable but which—had they had the name of Jeff Koons incised in their bases—would undoubtedly earn four floors in the new Whitney!
As for the otherwise sexually impotent art critic, he proves to be one of the best swordsmen on stage in a very long time. When Hilaire squares-off to duel with Boris, ending by bending foils with the judge, he is a master! No fake fencing here. Just fine entertainment.
