Susan Granger’s review of “Big Fish” (Neil Simon Theater, NYC: Oct., 2013)
Adapted from Daniel Wallace’s 1998 novel and Tim Burton’s whimsically enchanting 2003 movie, this estranged father-and-son story has been transformed into a new, quintessentially American musical, starring Norbert Leo Butz as the enthusiastic, if rambling storyteller, Edward Bloom and Kate Baldwin as his loyal, loving wife.
After a folksy, picturesque prologue on the banks of a river in Alabama, Edward’s opening number “Be the Hero” sets the stage for the amazing adventures, outlandishly tall tales filled with improbable, fantastical characters, which will dazzle his young son Will (Zachary Unger) yet perplex adult Will (Bobby Steggert). They include a sexy mermaid (Sarrah Strimel), a future-revealing witch (Ciara Renee), an amiable giant (Ryan Andes) and a circus manager/werewolf (Brad Oscar).
Since analytical Will is about to be married to Josephine (Krystal Joy Brown) and expecting a child
of his own, there’s an urgency to his desire to understand his traveling salesman father and stubborn determination to separate fact from fiction, particularly when he finds out that Edward is dying of cancer, epitomized by the song “Strangers.”
Working from John August’s revised book with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, director choreographer Susan Stroman maintains a consistently disarming tone of magical realism from start to finish. The visual “Daffodils,” concluding Act I, and the dancing elephant butts in the circus sequence are particularly delightful. As self-glorifying Edward, Norbert Leo Butz is charming and engaging. As angst-filled Will, William Steggert radiates acrimonious discontentment, which is not necessarily a good thing. And radiant Kate Baldwin does the best she can with her regrettably underwritten role.
The exaggeratedly imaginative concept is enhanced by the resourceful craftsmanship of production designer Julian Crouch, costumer William Ivey Long, projection creator Benjamin Pearcy, sound
designer Jon Weston, lighting designer Donald Holder and Larry Hochman’s orchestrations.
While it was wise to soften Edward’s character by eliminating his extra-marital affair, unfortunately, the decision to move the pivotal “How It Ends” to the hospital, rather than at Edward’s funeral, dilutes Will’s final mythical ‘reveal’ on the river bank that was so emotionally effective on film.