And Away We Go, The Night Alive and A Christmas Story: The Musical

Ciarán Hinds and Michael McElhatton in The Night Alive

And Away We Go: 2.5/5 Stars
The Night Alive: 4.5/5 Stars
A Christmas Story – The Musical: 5/5 Stars

In And Away We Go, playwright Terrence McNally has written a valentine to actors everywhere. He wants to celebrate them, encourage them and put what they do in both a historical and chronological context. Although moments in the play (which closed December 21) were delightful, the production, as directed by Jack Cummings III, was often as muddled as it was whimsical. A strong cast—including the invaluable Donna Lynne Champlin, Micah Stock, Rachel Botchan, Dominic Cuskern, Carol Schultz and Sean McNall—jumps around through theatrical time making stops in ancient Greece, The Globe, Versailles’s Royal Theater and Coral Gables, Fla. at the American premiere of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot.

Transported across the Atlantic from the Donmar Warehouse where it was a hit with both critics and audiences, Conor McPherson’s The Night Alive is a provocative study on a small handful of Dubliners barely getting by, the role fate and chance plays in their lives and—wait for it—the cosmic implications of religion, time, space and death. Amazingly, McPherson, whose earlier works include The Good Thief, This Lime Tree Bower, The Weir, The Dublin Carol, Port Authority, Shining City and The Seafarer, manages to deftly craft a portrait of humanity that leads to an ending open to multiple interpretations—realistic, paranormal or existential—that will leave some audience members arguing about what they’ve seen. But perhaps that’s the way McPherson wants it. In The Night Alive, Tommy (Ciaran Hinds) finds himself in the banal daily existence of taking care of his Uncle Maurice (Jim Norton) and his co-worker Doc (Michael McElhatton) when he stumbles upon Aimee (Caoilfhionn Dunne), a sometime prostitute who’s been beaten up by her psychotic boyfriend, Kenneth (Brian Gleeson). As Tommy and Aimee’s relationship grows, the dynamics between the other people in their lives shifts accordingly, leading to revelations and introspection as only McPherson can conjure. Blessed with a phenomenal cast and expert direction by its author, The Night Alive is a beautiful, sweet and poignant piece that will haunt those lucky enough to see it.

Though it’s being presented in a cavernous barn of a space, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s wonderful A Christmas Story – The Musical is back again this year and it’s a welcome return! Hilarious and heartwarming in equal parts, A Christmas Story took the theater community by storm last season and garnered three Tony nominations, including Best Musical. Based on the classic 1983 film that starred little Peter Billingsley (who’s now one of the musical’s producers) as Ralphie, and Darren McGavin as his father, the musical tells the story of nine-year-old Ralphie’s quest to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas in 1940. Almost the entire original Broadway cast has returned for this year’s run at The Theater at Madison Square Garden including Dan Lauria as the narrator, John Bolton as The Old Man, Erin Dilly as Mother and the sensational Caroline O’Connor as Ralphie’s teacher, Miss Shields. Jake Lucas and Noah Baird are playing Ralphie and his little brother, Randy, this time around and they’re utterly beguiling, with strong singing voices and terrific comic timing. Additionally, the tap-dancing phenomenon Luke Spring is back with his specialty dance (along with O’Connor) in the Act-Two showstopper, “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out.” Boasting a melodic and beautiful score by Pasek and Paul, smart direction by John Rando and delightful choreography by Warren Carlyle, the timeless tale of A Christmas Story – The Musical should set up shop in a legit Broadway house the whole year round.

The Night Alive plays through Jan 26 at the Atlantic (336 W 20th St, AtlanticTheater.org). A Christmas Story – The Musical plays through Dec 29 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden (Seventh Ave @ 32nd St, AChristmasStoryTheMusical.com).