Robert Israel
Despite all the Boston Lyric Opera pageantry and talent, “Carousel”‘s trip to the 21st century turns out to be bumpy.
The Huntington Theatre Company’s production of “Don’t Eat the Mangos” commands attention with its blend of entertainment and enlightenment.
The sprawling cast — 30-plus players — under Michael Arden’s direction performs with verve; they deliver outstanding performances and have excellent singing chops.
At its best, this script offers an opportunity for audiences to cast a backward glance at the first stirrings of dramatist Lynn Nottage’s prolific canon.
Suffice it to say that this film version of “The Piano Lesson” does playwright August Wilson proud.
Because this “play” relies on audience participation, Vinny DePonto selects inevitably befuddled men and women from the audience on which to demonstrate his mental prowess.
“Modern dance is not a secret club. Yes, we are presenting masterpieces by a visionary 20th century artist, but we are communicating that through the greatest dancers today, and showing how that work continues to evolve.”
This is a well-honed, mostly successful script about the difficulties of making human connections — a drama about seizing the day.
The script is an experiment, a (sometimes) witty lecture on language. But it doesn’t work dramatically.
Is it possible for an outstanding actress to achieve similar heights as a playwright? The answer is yes, but with reservations.
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