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George Gershwin Alone |
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Author: Music and Lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
Written and Performed by Hershey Felder
Reviewer: David Roberts for Theatre Reviews Limited |
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Interest in George Gershwin never wanes. His music (and that of his brother Ira) is so much a part of the history of American musical theatre that it is difficult to imagine what contemporary musical theatre would be like (including "The Producers") had it not been for the brothers Gershwin. And now for the first time in theatrical history the Gershwin heirs have granted the rights to create the role of America's musical icon, George Gershwin, on stage.
  
These rights have been awarded to pianist, actor, composer, writer and singer Hershey Felder and the heirs of George Gershwin could not have put their trust in more capable and worthy hands. From the time the lights go up on Mr. Felder on the stage of the Helen Hayes Theatre until the end of his "George Gershwin Alone" Hershey Felder carefully and respectfully portrays the life of George Gershwin as it has never been represented before. Alone.
Whether Mr. Felder's George Gershwin is relating the stories of how he came to write "Swanee" or "Porgy and Bess" or how he used his time as a "piano pimp" to determine what "worked" and what didn't work musically, he helps us understand, perhaps for the first time, that ultimately George Gershwin was successful because of his particular genius.
That genius was always developing in counterpoint to the rest of the world around Gershwin. It was his ability to go against conventional wisdom (about the structure of a rhapsody or the delineation of what was and what was not considered jazz) that made for George Gershwin's success. Yes he had supportive and sometimes nagging parents; yes he had some serendipitous breaks; yes he had a talented brother and a brilliant love interest. Yes he was often at the right place at the right time. Given all that, it was still George Gershwin alone that had the intuition, the vision, the sheer bravery to do what he did.
And Gershwin did what he did with little critical acclaim. He knew when to move on, whether it was to Hollywood or to Paris. And those who truly loved him and knew him often had to simply admit that he did not need them. Ideas came to him while he rode the train to Boston, while he sat at the piano, while he took piano lessons, while he pitched the songs of other composers.
George Gershwin did all of this while suffering from unbearable headaches (belying a brain tumor which eventually took his life at the age of 38) and Hershey Felder, under Joel Zwick's deliciously playful direction, successfully shows us how Gershwin lived and died totally committed to his work and his musical vision.
After Mr. Felder painstakingly shares the final days of George Gershwin's life (brilliantly from Gershwin's one point of view) he moves to the piano and plays the complete "A Rhapsody in Blue" and for some few blessed moments Gershwin is there with us again, doing what he always did best, bringing the magic of music to a place where it can be heard, appreciated, and understood. "Our Love" for George Gershwin "Is Here to Stay" thanks to Hershey Felder.
Reviewed on Sunday May 6, 2001 (Opened on Monday April 30, 2001)
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Music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. Written and performed by Hershey Felder. Directed by Joel Zwick. Scenic design by Yael Pardess; lighting design by James F. Ingalls; sound design by Jon Gottlieb; production stage manager, Arthur Gaffin. Presented by The Helen Hayes Theatre (Martin Markinson and Donal Tick), Richard Willis, Martin Markinson, and HTG Productions at The Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 West 44th Street through July 22 only. Performance schedule: Tuesday through Saturday at 8:00 p.m. with matinees at 2:00 p.m on Wednesdays and Saturdays and at 3:00 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $65.00 (plus a $1.25 facilities fee) and are available through Telecharge at (212) 239-6200 or online now by clicking on "Buy Online Tickets" above. For more information, visit the "George Gershwin Alone" website at www.GeorgeGershwinAlone.com.
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