The cast of “The Drowsy Chaperone.” Photo by Mike Stevens.
In Workhouse Art Center’s “The Drowsy Chaperone,” a somewhat lonely musical enthusiast, Man in Chair played convincingly by Jeffrey Davis, spins a record on his phonograph of a 1920s musical that he has never seen. The recordings come to life on stage with a humorous plot: Janet, a showgirl, is bidding adieu to the “life of glamour” to marry Robert Martin. In avoiding Robert’s fiancée the day of the wedding due to a common superstition (the bride and groom must not see each other before the wedding day), Robert blindfolds himself and runs into Janet in the garden who disguises herself as a young, French lady. This leads to a comical misunderstanding between them.
…a unique and enthralling story…a thrilling, musical theatre experience.
The set of the play is a small apartment, complete with a low-profile wall closet (which is cleverly used for the cast members’ entrances and exits) and even a fold-out-of-the-wall bed. The Man in Chair’s apartment has posters and playbills of great Broadway shows of the past plastered on its wall, such as “Mame,” “Gypsy,” and “The Boys from Syracuse,” visually establishing him as a musical theatre buff. His running commentary of “The Drowsy Chaperone” wax record further conveys his love of musicals.
Like any great musical, there are many numbers to be enjoyed here. One is “Bride’s Lament,” with this production’s humorous change in the lyrics from “monkey on a pedestal” (used in many productions) to “bunny on a pedestal.” It transitions from a “melody [that] is so simple, it just floats in the air” (to quote the Man in Chair) to a musically complex number with a reprise of a dissonant versions of “I don’t want to show off” and “Accident Waiting to Happen” (two other songs in the show) sung in a whole tone scale, as Janet faces a dichotomy between her love to Robert and returning back to show business where she can have the love of millions. This piece was excellently executed by music director Francine Krasowska with her on-stage orchestra.
The show’s choreography was done well by Stefan Sittig, as witnessed in Aldolfo’s Latin number with tango and toreador movements, “Toledo Surprise,” with the gangsters (Darren Bradley and Kevin Donlan) and the Ensemble, and “I Do, I Do in the Sky” with Trix the Aviatrix (played with spunk by Ariel Friendly).
Feldzieg (a wonderful name play on the real-life Ziegfeld), the Broadway impresario in our play-within-a-play, is distraught over Janet’s departure from the life of glamore on stage. He hatches a mischievous plan involving a charming but buffoonish Aldolfo (acted superbly by Shakil Azizi) to seduce Janet, in which our Casanova mistakenly believes the Drowsy Chaperone to be the bride instead of Janet.
Some musical favorites included the Chaperone’s “As We Stumble Along,” which was sung emotively by Kristina Friedgen; Janet Van de Graaf’s “Show Off” with singer-and-actress Odette Gutierrez del Arroyo’s impressive vocal range; and “Accident Waiting to Happen” with a roller-skating and blindfolded wedding groom to avoid further mishaps.
Great humor was very well integrated into the set was the use of jets of fog to imitate the tap-dancing duo, Robert Martin (Noah Mutterperl) and his best man George (Luke Martin), dancing in the number “Cold Feet” until the rubber of their soles appear to start smoking with heat, thanks to this clever effect by stage manager Rob Cork. In the same number, there is a comical pause of the tap-dancing duet in which the butler, Underling, serves the two characters water even as he enters and exits tap-dancing, adding to the humor as well as the rhythm of the moment.
In the sets and lighting, general colors are well used to express the emotions and tone associated with each scene, such as blue when the Man in the Chair expresses how Broadway plays can be an escape to a perfect world from the hardships of life. Costumes are a major asset in the believability of any period piece, be it comedy or drama. Here there are lovely 1920s period costumes for all the characters, including the eponymous chaperone in her flapper dress, outfitted with Prohibition Era hidden hip flask, which is used to great comedic effect.
“The Drowsy Chaperone” is a unique and enthralling story that does not work in a linear way the most musical comedies do. The play’s fluctuation between the story of the lonely Man in Chair, the over-the-top drowsy chaperone story, and the way the two worlds are detached yet interact make for a thrilling, musical theatre experience. These qualities are brought out well by a talented cast, musicians, and creative team.
Running Time: Approximately two hours with one 15-minute intermission.
Advisory: Suitable for most ages; contains some adult humor.
“The Drowsy Chaperone” runs through June 23, 2024 at the Workhouse Arts Center, 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton, VA 22079. Audience members should be cautioned that the Workhouse does not provide a standard playbill but a truncated version with a link patrons are expected to access by phone. We are not entirely sure what the Man in Chair would say to this! For more information and to purchase tickets, go online. Masks are not required.
