Written by orange• July 23, 2024• 5:33 pm• Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Playhouse, Review, Theater, Uncategorized

33 Variations @ Costa Mesa Playhouse – Review

Photo by Stephanie Savic

Written by Daniella Litvak

“You never know how Beethoven is going to affect someone…”

When you think of famous musical composers, you don’t think of the name Anton Diabelli (b. 1781 – d. 1858). Although more successful as a music publisher, he was a composer and a contemporary of musical luminaries such as Franz Schubert, Franz Liszt, and “da-da-da-dum” Ludwig van Beethoven. In 1819, Diabelli wrote a “mediocre” waltz and challenged the greatest composers of the time to write a variation on his theme. Musically, the term “variations” means “the repetition of a musical theme with modifications in such elements as rhythm, melody, harmony, key, tempo, and accompaniment.” Many composers contributed a variation to Diabelli’s waltz. Beethoven composed 33.

Story:

In 33 Variations, modern-day Beethoven scholar Dr. Katherine Brandt (Rose London) becomes obsessed with finding out why Beethoven (Todd Rew) devoted three years of his life to composing variations for a “mediocre waltz.” Despite the 200-year separation between them, the stories of Beethoven creating the Diabelli Variations and Katherine’s search for why he did so parallel and intertwine in unexpected ways.

Acting:

The cast, across the board, is fantastic. Hats off to pianist Arthur Abadi, who is deservedly credited as part of the cast. Beethoven’s music is a character in its own right in this show, and Abadi performs it beautifully. As Katherine, London accomplishes the contradictory task of simultaneously portraying unflappable toughness and vulnerability. London and Sarah McGuire, who play Clara Brandt, are believable as mother and daughter. Rew’s Beethoven and Salvatore Messina as Anton Schindler, secretary to Beethoven, mirror Katherine and Clara’s relationship and are just as affecting even though they are not father and son by blood. Messina, along with Zion Aguilar as Anton Diabelli, Jennifer Walquist as Dr. Gertrude Ladenburger, a colleague of Katherine’s, and Griffin Glenn as Mike Clark, a nurse Clara falls into a relationship with, play roles that could have been relegated to pure comic relief (and they do provide laughs). Still, they come across as fully realized people. Mike and Clara’s romance would have been throwaway in a lesser story, but the strength of the script and the performances make them a couple to root for. The moment when the cast came together for Kyrie’s elision was gorgeous.

From Left: Todd Rew and Salvatore Messina (Photo by Stephanie Savic)

Set Design:

Speaking of gorgeous, let’s talk about Antonio Beach’s set design. Instead of literally recreating the characters’ locations, the design adopts a more fantastical approach. The piano is front and center, and ringed around it are a series of platforms. Giant music sheets and the ever-changing projection designs form the backdrop. Writing desks flank the sides. The design is smart from a pragmatic standpoint because drastic set changes for a play with 33 scenes would be a logistical headache. Beyond that, the more fantastical design bridges the gap between Katherine and Beethoven’s worlds and allows the audience to see the characters’ internal struggles.