"Souvenir"

Theatre review
"Soluvenir" at the Kitchen Theatre
Ithaca Times
June 11, 2008
727 words
"Sounding Good"

full text here

Sounding Good
By: Mark Tedeschi
06/11/2008

Souvenir by Stephen Temperley. Directed by Sara Lampert Hoover. Starring David Beach and Patricia Dell. Music direction by Thom Baker, scenic design by Ali Golden, lighting design by E.D. Intemann, costume design by Terésa Sears, sound design by Nate Richardson (REP Studio).

Some may say that I couldn't sing, but no one can say that I didn't sing." So said Florence Foster Jenkins, possibly the world's most successful and popular publicly recognized terrible singer this side of William Shatner, on one of the few occasions that she acknowledged criticism. Jenkins always wanted a career in singing, but her wealthy parents forbade it. When they both had passed away, she was free to pursue her dream... at age 60.

The earnestness of her performance and dedication to the music, as well as her lavish self-designed costumes and perpetual confidence, baffled her audience into fascination. She was either putting everyone on or at least slightly mentally detached; exploration of that question is woven into the fabric of Souvenir, a touching and hilarious play written by Stephen Temperley and directed by Sara Lampert Hoover now showing at the Kitchen Theatre.

There are only two actors (and two characters) in Souvenir, and it's the perfect number. Florence's accompanist, Cosmé McMoon, narrates the story, apropos since he's probably the closest tool we have to deciphering her psyche. Cosmé is played by David Beach, an excellent actor, singer, and pianist who has had parts in several TV shows, including "The Sopranos" and "Sex and the City." In Souvenir, Cosmé recounts how he got involved with Florence and the mental gymnastics he had to endure while he worked under her.

Patricia Dell, an accomplished opera singer and tap dancer, plays soprano socialite Florence with daring faithfulness. She contorts what is obviously a beautiful and well-trained singing voice into a precisely executed cacophony. Her consistent flats and sharps combine with arrhythmic liberties to wreak a sharp but still funny havoc on the eardrums.

Most of the story takes place in the room in which Florence rehearses. It looks cozy but refined: marbled floor, a few oriental rugs, a crisp-looking settee, etc. Cosmé and Florence discuss her career and her abilities between song rehearsals. There's a comforting mix of philosophical musings and comedic punches in the dialogue; Cosmé quotes Florence, "'Singing is a kind of dreaming in public,'" and adds, "But were we headed into a nightmare?"

At one point, Cosmé's frustration crosses a breaking point, but he apologizes as soon as he sees how much his outburst hurt her feelings. She says, "Nothing is wrong with my voice," and technically, she's right. She never claims to sing anything as it's written - instead, she says, "I'm known for my ear."

Florence's caterwauling recitals were less singing than performance art. Normally, she only performed once a year for a select audience, but her inexplicable climb in popularity eventually led to a sold-out show at Carnegie Hall that would become legendary. Much of Souvenir's second act consists of the story behind, and performance of, that show. The exceptional costume design during this portion includes a flamenco dress during "Clavelitos" and angelic wings-and-halo garb during "Ave Maria."

Also in this segment, the lighting design utilizes a hot spotlight to mimic a concert hall, and the sound design contains audience reaction noise. The sound is clever for most of Souvenir, but here is a bit too loud for how canned it sounds.

Both Cosmé and Florence seem genuinely excited about engaging in music throughout, and Florence's approach to performing makes Cosmé reconsider the preconceived notions of his livelihood. "Who made up the rules?" he wonders. He notes that those at her shows "seem to have a pretty good time," so why not embrace her singularity?

We experienced a modern Florence Foster Jenkins phenomenon a few years ago, albeit on a smaller scale and with an added element of racial controversy. William Hung, another historically awful singer, gained fame and a record deal for performing horribly in an opening round of "American Idol." The glaring difference between the two is that Hung went wherever the limelight took him, while Jenkins orchestrated her own career. But in each case, many people decided to abandon their conception of "good" music in order to shower attention on someone who was trying his or her best.

"Art may thrill the soul," Cosmé muses, "but its sole purpose is to teach." One thing we can learn from Souvenir (and, to a certain extent, Mr. Hung) is the capacity for widespread captivation by someone who persists at what they love no matter how ruthlessly he or she is criticized.

©Ithaca Times 2008