ARTS . Theater Review

Hell to the Chief

Assassins doesn't advocate offing presidents. But it does provoke.


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Published: Sep 25, 2007

"Hey, pal, feelin' blue?

Don't know what to do?

Hey, pal, I mean you

C'mere and kill a president."

Now, I'm not advocating this, and neither is Stephen Sondheim. But his Assassins, a quirky vaudeville entertainment about the people who killed or attempted to kill America's presidents, is clearly designed to provoke an audience, and get us to think out of the musical theater box.

Does it? Yes and no.

Everything about Assassins seems daring, from putting songs in the mouths of these incendiary characters to the mixed bag of protagonists. Apart from a single infamous idea, what do they share? Some are sane and fueled by moral fervor (Leon Czolgosz, who shot McKinley because he was "the enemy of working people"). Others are certifiable (Charles Guiteau, a failed evangelist, who was furious that Garfield didn't appoint him ambassador to France). A few are just plain ditzy (Sara Jane Moore and "Squeaky" Fromme, who separately tried unsuccessfully to do away with Gerald Ford; also Sam Byck, who schemed to fly a plane into Richard Nixon's White House). Then there's John Wilkes Booth, the fiery crusader; and the darkly enigmatic Lee Harvey Oswald.

Sondheim's music and lyrics give everyone a voice, and while I think the score is far from his best, there are several splendid pieces that incorporate a variety of American styles. From the fervent "The Ballad of Booth" to the comical "How I Saved Roosevelt" (here, tellingly, the bystanders act more bloodthirsty than the murderer), Sondheim's songs pack a punch.

But Assassins is freighted with John Weidman's flimsy book. Some of the comic scenes are fine, especially a long monologue that Byck addresses, by way of his cassette recorder, to Leonard Bernstein! (This is also sensationally delivered by Scott Greer.) But when Weidman tries to explore the underlying motivation of these assassins, he offers only pop psychology clichés. Ultimately, Assassins doesn't have the stature to back up its daring premise.

Terry Nolen's production at the Arden is sleek and visually dazzling, aided by highly accomplished singer-actors with the supreme gift of likability. It may seem a funny word, but it's critical that on some level, the characters charm us. They also have to scare us and draw us in, and here Nolen's decision to have his 10-member cast portray all the roles — assassins, bystanders, marching band — creates a sense of ensemble camaraderie that weakens some of the tension. (But it does give the wonderful Mary Martello a great scene as Emma Goldman.) I also find some of the show played too much for comedy-revue values. But it's very splashy, and Nolen and company give us all an evening worth talking about.

(d_fox@citypaper.net)

Assassins

Through Oct. 21, Arden Theatre Co., 40 N. Second St., 215-922-1122, www.ardentheatre.com.