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| Roy Brocksmith, Alexander Orfaly, Betsy Beard, George F. Maguire, John Long. |
Not long after the Chelsea’s much-lauded revival of John Gay’s
The Beggar’s Opera, the company resuscitated
that classic show’s even more rarely seen 1729 (but not permitted to be
performed until 1777) sequel, Polly. Some
of the talents involved in the earlier revival were once more on hand,
including Stephen D. Newman as Macheath, and designers Robert U. Taylor and
Carrie F. Robbins. Seen only once before in New York, Polly proved not up to the standards of its predecessor, but
nonetheless worthy of reviving.
Following the ballad opera format of The Beggar’s Opera, with the music of Dr. Pepusch “newly realized”
by Mel Marvin, this work is set in the West Indies, with Macheath shown as a
pirate captain married to Jenny Diver (Patricia Elliott). He goes around in a
blackface disguise as Morano so that other women will let him be. When Polly
Peachum (Betsy Beard) arrives from London in search of Macheath, the play’s
varied adventures begin, starting with her being robbed and then sold into
whoredom. In this work, unlike its predecessor, Mac does not escape the hands
of the executioner.
In Robert Kalfin’s adaptation, a Pirandellian debate
develops at the end before the pirate chief is killed. John Gay (Newman) comes
down the aisle and argues with the cast as to whether the execution should be,
well, executed. The actors are opposed but Gay wants him dead. He eventually
gives in, but news arrives that, while they were arguing the deed was done.
Clive Barnes considered Polly
lacking in “the juices of the original.” Walter Kerr thought it “very, very
lightweight stuff.” John Simon said it was “slight, charming, somewhat
spasmodic in wit and intermittent in satirical impact.” All agreed that the
Kalfin staging was highly adept and made the show shine with fun and color.
The ensemble was superb and costumes and sets—which created
the effect of an 18th-century toy theatre with painted wings and
backdrops—charmingly appropriate. “[T]he show has a soothing, almost balneal
quality, which one can more than recommend—prescribe,” concluded Simon.
Newman won an OBIE for distinguished performance, and Taylor
got one for his Distinguished Set
Design. Robbins took home a Joseph Maharam Foundation Award.
