When you walk into the Walter Kerr Theatre, home of Best Musical Tony winner A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, you have to do some preparation. You have to suspend your disbelief, let go of your expectations, and open your mind because the 2 hours and 20 minutes ahead will surprise, entertain, and leave you in stitches by the end.
A Gentleman’s Guide begins with a warning to the audience: “for those of you of weaker constitution, for those you who may be faint of heart, this is a tale of revenge and retribution.” The story is just that. The musical follows Monty Navarro who upon discovering that he is related to the wealthy D’Ysquith family and is the 9th in line to inherit the title of Earl of Highhurst decides to murder those in front of him in the line of succession. The result is a hilarious off-beat comedy that has as much heart as it does laughs.
Much of the first act is spent watching Monty in his quest to the family fortune. Murdering each quirky relative (all 8 of whom are played by Jefferson Mays) in increasingly ridiculous ways, Monty slowly changes as a character. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. Characters so rarely change in musicals, but his strive for power becomes apparent as much in him as it does the story. On the side, a love triangle ensues between Monty, his lover Sibella, and cousin Phoebe. Yes. It does get as ugly as it sounds. The half is fast-paced, exciting, and laugh-out-loud hilarious.
The second act slows down a bit. Monty is left with a singular relative to get past, which doesn’t allow the momentum from the first half to carry over. However, the laughs and surprises are all still there.
Although the score is mostly forgettable and the lyrics simply for exposition, there are some high points like “It’s Better with a Man” and Act two showstopper “I’ve Decided to Marry You,” which exemplifies Darko Tresnjak’s Tony-winning direction. It is simply brilliant. The entire musical plays off like a Wes Anderson film with its off-beat world and characters so finely choreographed and staged in a storybook like setting. He takes the already interesting story and infuses it with an impeccable style that keeps you engaged from beginning to end.
Speaking of engaging, Bryce Pinkham is sensational as Monty. With rarely a minute off stage it is confounding how he is able to maintain that type of energy throughout. He is completely charming and hilarious, but his physical comedy is what throws him over the type. His slight looks at the audience or his facial expressions while we hear his thoughts are captivating. He is really the unsung hero of the musical.
The reason I say unsung is because Jefferson Mays gets so much of the absolutely deserved praise for his role as the entire D’Ysquith family. I can’t say more than that he is phenomenal. He doesn’t just play each character, he inhabits them. They all have their own type of humor and style. It is really fascinating to watch. Bonus points to his dressers who assist in what looks like the fastest quick changes in broadway history.
I can’t say much more. It is a riotously fun night on Broadway. Tresnjak has gone above and beyond the call of duty and the actors are really at the top of their game. There are faults. The second act can’t quite match the momentum of the first and the score doesn’t really do the rest of production justice, but those are small factors to look past when it comes to the overall scope of the musical. Bottom line, come for Mays and Pinkham, stay for a truly wonderful musical.
BRYCE PINKHAM and JEFFERSON MAYS shoutout Smash Cut!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg7R98B1M28&list=PLA4smGy_kg9WQU-MPl3kXw51IS83HUz9r&index=1
Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.