Nine
Book by Arthur Kopit, Music and Lyrics by Maury Yeston
Based on the Film 8 1/2 Written by Federico Fellini
Adapted from the Italian by Mario Fratti
Directed by Scott Miller and Chris Kernan
Choreographed by Chris Kernan
New Line Theatre
March 3, 2023
Cast of Nine
Photo by Gerry Love
New Line Theatre
Nine is a show I’d heard about, and heard songs from, but had never seen. From what I had seen and heard, I wanted to see it, but I just hadn’t had the opportunity, because it doesn’t seem to be performed a lot, at least in St. Louis. Yes, there’s a movie, but I had heard highly mixed reports about it, and I prefer to see shows on stage first if at all possible. I also hadn’t seen the original Fellini movie, 8 1/2, on which Nine is based–although now, I want to. Thankfully, New Line Theatre has now given me and others the chance to see this unusual, fascinating show, which is ideal for this theatre company, known for its bold choices and excellent production quality, and especially great singing.
The story focuses on self-absorbed movie director Guido Contini (Cole Gutman) and the multitudes of women in his life, from his longsuffering wife, Luisa (Lisa Karpowicz) to his eager mistress Carla (Sarah Wilkinson), to his determined producer, Liliane LeFleur (Kimmie Kidd-Booker), and his elusive favorite film star Claudia (Ann Hier Brown) to various other figures in his life, such as his mother (Stephanie Merritt) and a host of muses, exes, critics, and more. The creative, conflicted Guido is struggling to come up with a script for his next picture, which is due to be filmed imminently. This story has a fantastical element, in that most (if not all) of the action is taking place in Guido’s mind, as he struggles not only with his present dilemma while staying at a spa in Venice, but also deals with the influences of his past, and the continued theme of his relationships with–and attitudes toward–women.
There’s a lot going on here, and I won’t go into too much detail since the journey of discovery is important to see firsthand. It’s Guido’s journey, and although the show explores his relationships with many women, his marriage with Luisa is the most prominent, and the staging reflects her importance, with Luisa often seeming to be a spectator to some of the more elaborate fantasy sequences, so we can see her reactions not only to his attitudes and interactions, but toward Guido himself, and the kind of man he is. There’s obviously love here, but there is also intense conflict, and other figures in Guido’s life also loom large, with impressive performances all around, and some of the best, most intricate ensemble singing I have heard at New Line, and with this company, that’s saying something.
As Guido, Gutmann is charismatic, enigmatic, and dynamic, conveying all the difficult qualities of Guido’s personality credibly, but also maintaining a strong presence and a degree of sympathy when needed. His voice is strong and versatile, and he has great chemistry with his co-stars. Karpowicz is also excellent in a somewhat subdued performance as Luisa, managing to convey her frustration and her affection for Guido even when in moments when she is mostly reacting to what is happening around her. Karpowicz also has a strong voice on songs like “My Husband Makes Movies” and “Be On Your Own”. There are also strong performances from Wilkinson as the amorous Carla, Brown as the conflicted Claudia, Merritt as Guido’s Mother, and Kay Love as a sort of narrator figure known as Our Lady of the Spa. There are also especially memorable, dynamic performances from Sarah Lueken as Saraghina–and influential figure from Guido’s school days–who leads the memorable “Be Italian”; and especially Kidd-Booker as the brassy, bold, and theatrical LeFleur, with her showstopping “Folies Bergères” number commanding the stage with humor, presence, and style. The rest of the ensemble is also strong, contributing to the first-rate vocals and the overall tone of the story.
This staging is based on the 2003 Broadway revival version, as opposed to the 1982 original. The scaled-down production is ideal for New Line, and the look is strikingly simple, with a black-and-white color scheme predominating, from Rob Lippert’s white- tiled unit set to the stylish black costumes by Sarah Porter. Matt Stuckel’s lighting adds much in the way of mood and atmosphere to the proceedings, as well, including flickering film-like effects at the beginning–and the great New Line band led by music director Dr. Jenna Lee Moore lends power to the memorable Maury Yeston score.
Nine, being essentially an extended fantasy sequence that deals with a lot of deeply personal issues for Guido. Luisa, and the rest of the characters, can be a little hard to follow at times, but it’s staged and sung so well as to make audiences want to pay attention, and to ponder the issues being dealt with here. There’s drama, occasionally raunchy humor, intensity, and reflection. As is frequent for New Line, it’s a production that is simultaneously simple and complex, bringing out the truth of the material through authentic, credible performances and thoughtful staging. It’s a fantastic production.
Cast of Nine
Photo by Gerry Love
New Line Theatre
New Line Theatre is presenting Nine at the Marcelle Theatre until March 25, 2023