With the world in turmoil, it's a pleasure to see a delightfully nostalgic love-story production of She Loves Me that is currently playing in Millbrook under the adept direction of Brady Walker.
Based on Miklos Laszlo's story Parfumerie, and probably better known from the 1940 film The Shop Around the Corner, this Bock-Harnick-Masteroff musical from 1963 recounts a familiar story centered on Amelia [Kaylee Baker] and Georg [Kaden Blackburn] who exchange love-letters to "Dear Friend" through a lonely-hearts club.
Set in Mr. Maraczek's [Matthew Givens] parfumerie in 1934 Budapest, Amelia gets a job there and instantly gets under store manager Georg's skin; their mutual sparring disguises what audiences immediately recognize as a sign they are fated to fall in love, and the rest of the two-and-a-half-hours playing time serves up a mixture of songs, comedy, confusions, and pathos that ultimately lead to a satisfying conclusion.
A secondary love affair between shop assistants Illona [Maggie Kervin] and Kodaly [Travis Clark] counters the main plot, while an older employee Sipos [Scott Rouse] adds some solid reason to the emotional younger folks; and an earnest delivery boy Arpad [Jack Posey] dreams of becoming a salesman in the shop. -- A large ensemble play shoppers and other roles.
Along the way, audiences can't but be impressed by the vocal and acting talents of the cast. Mr. Clark is sufficiently sleazy as Kodaly, a character we love to hate as he oozes his way around the others and takes advantage of his position; Ms. Kervin's Ilona is at her best when she decides to drop Kodaly, as audiences applaud her decision. Mr. Posey is an endearing Arpad, and Mr. Rouse reveals subtle dimensions of the character Sipos. -- Mr. Givens has several of the play's most sincere conflicts handled with professional precision.
But it is the music that carries everything along, and the cast display their various strengths throughout. There is an excellent chemistry between Ms. Baker and Mr.Blackburn that makes every moment between them stand out, and when each of them holds forth in singing, it's impressive, especially in her "Vanilla Ice cream" and his title-song "She Loves Me", in which they each let loose with their recognition of mutual love, leaving the audience enraptured.
