Robert Tanitch reviews Ragtime at Charing Cross Theatre, London WC2
Thom Southerland directed a brilliant Titanic musical at this theatre earlier in the year.
Once again he achieves miracles in a tiny, cramped space with a clever and highly enjoyable revival of Ragtime.
It is the best Ragtime I have seen since I saw it in 1998 on Broadway in a huge and spectacular production by Frank Galati, with its stunningly choreographed opening number with three phalanxes.
The book is by Terrence McNally. The varied music is by Stephen Flaherty. The lyrics are by Lynn Ahrens. The songs carry a terrific emotional punch and there is some final choral singing.
The story is based on E L Doctorow’s sprawling 1975 novel, a turn-of-the-century epic, covering the years 1895-1915. The novel traces the lives of three interlocking families: rich Protestant whites from New Rochelle, poor Jewish immigrants, and down-trodden blacks from Harlem.
The fictional characters mix with real personages, such as Henry Ford, J.P. Morgan, Harry Houdini, chorus girl Evelyn Nesbitt and anarchist Emma Goldman.
The subject matter is racism, capitalism, workers strikes, arson and murder.
The story-lines, which both celebrate and criticise America, have a strong social conscience and become a heart-felt plea for justice for blacks and whites.
Doctorow has said that he had listened over and over to Scott Joplin’s piano rag when he was writing the novel.
The racial divisions are immediately established by the fractured Joplinesgue orchestrations
There is a strong ensemble of 24 actors, 11 of them playing instruments, which occasionally drown the words. Cast and band share the same space. Two pianos are perpetually being moved round the stage together and separately to provide an extra platform.
Southerland’s inventive and totally focused production constantly amazes with its sheer technical dexterity. The show never flags.
There are many fine performances. Anita Louise Combe is the compassionate white woman who adopts a black baby boy. Gary Tushaw is the silhouette artist who becomes a mogul in the new film industry.
Ako Mitchell is the ragtime pianist, who when he cannot get justice for his vandalised car, threatens to blow up J P Morgan’s Library and himself. Jennifer Saayeng is his wife and her singing is one of the high spots.
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