NOT AN EVENING OF “BORROWED DIN!”

a Review of Over the Moon Productions'

In Concert production of

Robert Wright and George Forest's Musical,

KISMET

by James L. Seay

Winning the Tony Award for Best Musical of 1954, Kismet is not too often seen on contemporary stages. Probably its music is what is best remembered, which is not unusual for musicals, but the fact that it is borrowed from a Russian opera with which virtually no one, save true opera addicts, particularly Russian ones, is truly familiar, does make it memorable. When it was originally staged on Broadway, starring Alfred Drake, Doretta Morrow and Richard Kiley, it coincided with a major newspaper strike and so reviews were scarce. That was perhaps a blessing, as the reviews that did see light were not exactly kind. One wag, in the style of the clever put-down so loved by reviewers of the time, making a pun on the name of Alexander Borodin, composer of the original Russian opera, Prince Igor, stated in his lead that Kismet “was a lot of borrowed din.” Actually, the score of Prince Igor is anything but “din.”

Much of the criticism of Kismet came about not because of the score, but because of the story – a musical version of such vehicles as The Arabian Nights, The Thief of Baghdad, Aladdin and His Lamp, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, with a touch of Rimsky-Korsakov's Scherezade, which many found “silly and convoluted.” This reviewer wonders what musical comedies have plots that are not “silly an convoluted.” Certainly not High School Musical, Grease or All Shook Up, three extremely popular vehicles that are, plot-wise, about as “silly and convoluted” as they come. All of this, however, did not stop the show from running for a very respectable 583 performances on Broadway and 648 in London's West End. Indeed, stripped of its original lavish Oriental setting and placed in western Africa, the play was restaged in 1978 under the title Timbuktu, starring the late Eartha Kitt.

Borodin's opera had nothing to do with either Africa or Baghdad, and told of the campaign of the Russian Prince Igor Svyatoslavich against the invading Polovtsian tribes in 1185. Borodin failed to finish it in his lifetime (he died in 1887) and the opera was completed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and first performed in 1890 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Running, perhaps, on the reputation it had gained for doing musicals “in concert,” Over the Moon Productions is mounting a “concert” version of Kismet currently playing at Springfield's Hoogland Center for the Arts' LRS Theatre. Directed by Doug Hahn, who also conducts the 25-piece orchestra, and produced by Gus Gordon, one of the founders of Over the Moon Productions, this production does great pride to Wright and Forrest's play and Borodin's music. The presentation is virtually pure concert, but a nod to the actual plot is given by Leigh Steiner as the narrator who, in spoken word, describes the action of the plot leading into the musical numbers. This works reasonably well – particularly for an audience which may know the plot – but the narration is marred by some cutesy-poo current event comments stuck in, obviously, for a cheap laugh and not at all necessary. I don't know who wrote the narration, but it would have been better served to leave the political gags to the Second City which will be coming to this theatre in a month or so.

Musically, the production was a joy. With a talented cast of principals including Russ Dunlap (The Poet/Hajj), Cynda Wrightsman (Lalume), Sara Baltusevich (Marsinah), Mark McCue (the Caliph), Steve Sykes (the Wazir of Police), backed up by the supporting voices of T.J. Grasch (the Iman), Jerry Hicks (the Bangle Man) and Jim Hepworth (Jawan) along with a fifty-plus voice chorus, the hall rang with memorable music. The high points of the first act were probably “Baubles, Bangles and Beads” by Marsinah and the Bangle Man, and the beautiful duet, “Stranger in Paradise” by the Caliph (McCue) and Marasinah (Baltusevich). Actually, these two songs are probably better known than the musical, itself, having been popular in their own right. “Stranger in Paradise” (Borodin's “Polovetsian Dances” from Prince Igor) has been recorded by many artists, including Bing Crosby and Tony Bennett. Tonight's duet was the expected show-stopper.

The second act was truly highlighted by “And This Is My Beloved,” a soaring quartet based on “Ovlur's Theme” from Prince Igor and done in this production with a bravura performance by Baltusevich (Marsinah), McCue (the Caliph), Dunlap (Hajj) and Steve Sykes (the Wazir). A curious bit of history is that in the film version of Kismet, the quartet had to be changed to a trio, as Sebastian Cabot, who played the Wazir, just flat could not sing. Sykes had no such problem in this production, however, and was a wonderful villain with a powerful voice. He also stood out in “Was I Wazir” along with the male chorus.

The only member of the company in costume was Therese Wyatt, the Belly Dancer, who danced great in the Act I “Poet and the Slave Girls” and in Act II in “Samahris' Dance.” Miss Wyatt, in appropriate costume, added color and a touch of sex to an already excellent performance. My only problem is that I am of an age where I still associate tattoos (I know, it's “body art!”) with Bikers and Sailors. This is something I am just going to have to get used to.

Unlike a lot of other critics, I have always liked Kismet. Perhaps it is Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov's Post-Romantic score, and perhaps it is because I love the “Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam” (at least the Fitzgerald translation) and recall my childish delight watching Sabu in The Thief of Baghdad. I just like turbans and belly dancers and I like Russian opera. Put them all together and I like Kismet – and I really liked Over the Moon Productions' concert that I witnessed tonight.