NEW YORK—Operatic and grandiose, the Broadway musical “Side Show” (book and lyrics: Bill Russell, music: Henry Krieger, and additional book material: Bill Condon) returns to New York with a wallop.
Terry Connor (Ryan Silverman), a booking agent without a job in 1930s Texas, happens upon a traveling side show, a sort of home for those considered the freaks of society. The star attractions are the beautiful conjoined Hilton twins, Violet and Daisy (Erin Davie and Emily Padgett).
Terry sees the money potential in the pair. With the help of his friend Buddy (Matthew Hydzik), a dance instructor and performer, and Jake (David St. Louis), a side show roustabout secretly in love with Violet, Terry succeeds in freeing the twins from the legal control of their violent and alcoholic guardian, Sir (Robert Joy).
Soon the girls become the toast of the vaudeville circuit. However, they find themselves subjected to the same questions and stares they experienced while in the side show.
It would have been nice to have a little more back story on Terry and Buddy, especially just what it was that got Terry into trouble in the first place, as well as the basis of the two men’s friendship.
St. Louis is brilliant as Jake, basically the show’s moral compass. Originally hired to care for the girls, he knows when to act to keep them safe and also when he has to let them go. St. Louis excels in “The Devil You Know,” a powerful number warning about the world beyond the side show. There’s also the poignant “You Should Be Loved,” where Jake makes his feelings known to Violet in the most heart-rending song of the show.
Elsewhere, Joy is quite good as the scheming and immoral Sir, and Blair Ross does well as the girl’s Auntie, who took the twins in as babies and later started the pattern of exploitation in their lives.
Bill Condon’s direction is spot on, helping to give the show a larger-than-life feel, yet at the same time keeping the story grounded in reality. Choreography work by Anthony Van Laast is excellent, especially when it comes to the ensemble numbers.
Sets by David Rockwell are very good, particularly in creating the side show atmosphere. Those particular scenes give a feeling of hopeless resignation. Costumes by Paul Tazewell are nicely done, with the gowns the girls wear during the vaudeville numbers being especially fetching.
A great story, brilliant score, and an appealing cast make “Side Show” definitely worth a visit—or three!
Also in the cast are Brandon Bieber, Matthew Patrick Davis, Charity Angel Dawson, Lauren Elder, Javier Ignacio, Jordanna James, Kelvin Moon Loh, Barrett Martin, Don Richard, Josh Walker, Derek Hanson, Con O'Shea-Creal, and Michaeljon Slinger.
‘Side Show’
St. James Theatre
246 W. 44th St.
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Running Time: 2 hours, 35 minutes
Open Run
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage.
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