The Tony-award-winning musical scripted by Marsha Norman and richly scored by Lucy Simon is based on the children's classic written by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The story of renewal is an appropriate beginning for the holiday season. Performed largely by some incredibly gifted child actors, The Secret Garden entertained an audience of young and old alike on Sunday.
The story takes place on a dreary estate on the wind-swept moors of Yorkshire, England. Young Mary Lennox, played alternately by Zoe Hopkins-Ward and Julia Belanoff, arrives to find the house steeped in despair. After losing her parents in a cholera epidemic in India, Mary has left to live with her reclusive uncle. She is accompanied by the unseen spirit of her departed Indian nanny, Ayah, played by the silent yet transcending Denise Delaney.
 Laurie Ann Nellesen as the housemaid, right, encourages Mary Lennox, played by Julia Belanoff, to go out and play in the Coastal Repertory Theatre's production of the Secret Garden Saturday. |
Children and adults managed to sing strands of unlike verses, stepping over each other's words in parallel universes of the living and the dead. Director Ward seamlessly weaves the narration between the past and present through the narratives of the haunted living and the dreamers. The spirited music from both the orchestra and singers was well balanced by a good sound system managed by sound technician Beau Brown. Costumes and set design elegantly suspended the period piece at the turn of the 20th century.
Though published in the early 1900s, the themes of Burnett's novel have analogies in modern times. The economies of post-colonial countries like India are shadows of the social classes of imperialistic England, and in addition to cholera, now AIDS and malaria continue to devastate people in developing countries. Modern audiences can relate to materially rich, spiritually bankrupted children neglected by adults who are dealing with their self-absorbing issues.
Zoe Hopkins-Ward's talent is substantial. Though young, she carries the major role of the young protagonist from start to finish. In the cold expanse of her uncle's manor, Mary senses the dreamers, the ghosts who linger in the mysterious place filled with painful memories for her grieving Uncle Archibald Craven, played by Martin Rojas-Dietrich.
Dietrich's powerful stage presence firmly establishes the male lead of the production. Ten years after losing his beloved wife Lily, Uncle Archie is haunted by her beautiful memory evoked by the shining performance of Patti Appel. Appel's plaintive yet moving duet with Dietrich ("How Could I Ever Know") despairs of abandoning her husband and child. Of special note, were the beautiful harmonies sung by Appel and Calhoun.
Unloved and acting out, Mary elicits mild irritation from the servants who have kept the manor in proper English order despite her uncle's withdrawal from its daily affairs. Meanwhile, her younger uncle, Dr. Neville Craven played by Kristopher Hauck, arranges to send her to boarding school against the weak objections of Uncle Archie. Hauck's melodic voice conveys the complexity of his character whose duty to his brother and ministrations as doctor of the manor is tainted by his ambition and failed sense of worth. The Review's own Stacy Trevenon makes a brief appearance as headmistress Mrs. Winthrop, adding to the intensity of the confrontation between Mary and her Uncle Neville.
Abandoned by her guardian, Mary is left to explore the estate and meets Ben Weatherstaff, the groundskeeper of the estate, played by John Alexander. In the same scene, Mary finally meets Dickon, Martha's brother played by Bobby Thorton. Thorton's Pan-like performance promises a return to spring if Mary can unlock the gate to the Secret Garden. Together, they contrive to restore the Secret Garden to its former, glorious state.
The lonely rich girl is ultimately transformed by the Secret Garden and comes to rely upon the advice of the servants who are grounded in their identity and the ways of the earth. Mary is heartened by Martha the housemaid, played by Laurie Ann Nellesen, who affirms the girl's sense of identity after being misguided by her Uncle Neville. Nellesen's performances of "A Fine White Horse" and "Hold On" were crowd pleasers and a reminder of what good theater is all about.
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AT A GLANCE
What: "The Secret Garden"
Where: Coastal Repertory Theatre at Mel Mello Center for the Performing Arts, 1167 Main St., Half Moon Bay
When: 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 16
Cost: $15-$30
Information: 569-3266
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