Written by orange• October 15, 2024• 1:40 am• Cypress, Cypress College, Musical, Review, Theater, Uncategorized

Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 @ Cypress College – Review

Photo credit to Francis Gacad and Donny Jackson

Written by Alina Mae Wilson

Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812 is a sung-through musical adaptation of part of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. It’s a story rich in characters, plot points, and talented singers—perhaps too rich for some. Cypress College boasts a cast of exceptionally talented performers, but the sound quality and the length of the songs made for an unnecessarily drawn-out evening.

The script is self-aware enough to reference its complexity right from the prologue, instructing the audience to check their programs for information because the story is based on a “complicated Russian novel.” While that might have been relevant when the original cast debuted on Broadway, my program didn’t include any of this helpful information, and I would have benefitted tremendously from it.

Story:

There are so many characters, and many of them seem to have little to nothing to do with one another. People appear on stage, act like they’re going to be important, and then disappear. Granted, this musical is based on a segment of War and Peace, so it’s likely that these characters play larger roles in the complete story. However, as someone who hasn’t read the novel, I couldn’t always grasp their relevance in the context of the musical.

The year is 1812. The setting is Moscow. The people are generally of high society. The main plot focuses on Natasha, a beautiful, lovesick girl pining for her fiancé Andrey, who is away at war. Then there’s Pierre, a man who spends most of his time at a desk, feeling depressed but singing with a voice so rich it could rival Jean Valjean of Les Misérables. (Daniel Anthony as Pierre—wow! My socks were knocked off!)

Set Design:

The set was attractive, with a simple yet elegantly decorated background, and the entry points—doors, staircases, and ramps—effectively made the actors stand out. While this choice likely aimed to focus on the performers rather than the props, I wish certain scenes had included more set pieces to make it feel like the characters were in real rooms. The beautiful backgrounds and largely empty spaces made the show feel more like a concert than an immersion into a specific time or place.

Natasha is heartsick and lovely while a cast of colorful characters parade on and off stage. Some of them matter; many of them don’t.

Music:

The songs are long—sometimes too long. Certain segments felt stretched out unnecessarily, and scenes that could have been conveyed in three minutes were drawn out to ten. This made the already complicated plot harder to follow, and at times, I found myself losing interest.

Acting:

Standouts include Jordan Hicks as Natasha, Daniel Anthony as Pierre, Morgan Dickinson as Sonya, and Eric Lempinen as Anatole.

Overall:

While the performers are top-notch, and the set design is visually appealing, The Great Comet of 1812 struggles with pacing, clarity, and immersion. I was impressed by the talent onstage and frustrated by the musical’s inability to keep the story sharp and engaging.