The Baker’s Wife, Menier Chocolate Factory Review
Written by Penny for Theatre and Tonic.
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review. All opinions are our own.
The Baker’s Wife is a musical with a book by Joseph Stein and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Although it was written in 1976, it only had a brief West End run in 1989, and it has never been staged on Broadway. Now playing at the Menier Chocolate Factory, director Gordon Greenburg has assembled an impressive cast to revive this lesser known piece from one of our most prolific living composers.
Although written some 25 years before the behemoth that is Wicked, there are some familiar melodies in the score that transport us straight to Oz, but that is where the similarity ends as this charming snapshot of French provincial life is completely different to the spectacle and sheer size of what is arguably Schwartz’s most famous work.
The plot is undeniably flimsy. The residents of a small town in France, are not happy. Their local baker had the audacity to die without appointing a successor so they have no bread. Quel domage! At last the new baker arrives, along with his beautiful young wife. The age gap in their marriage shocks the locals and despite her protestations that she is happy, the baker’s wife is soon seduced by a handsome young man employed by the local Mayor. Having lost his beloved wife, the baker finds he can’t bake any more and, motivated more by their love of baked goods over any concern for their new neighbour, the locals set out to bring her back to him so that they can get their daily fix of baguettes and croissants.
But this rather simple plot is not a problem. Ultimately this musical is about a community that has lost its sense of community. Bickering couples and neighbours are a stark contrast with the ironically named town of Concord’s idyllic setting. It feels a little dated in places, with male and female characters conforming to their gender stereotypes but the pay off at the end is worth it.
Designer Paul Farnsworth has created a stunning set, transforming the auditorium into a village square, with a café and the boulangerie separated by balconies, windows and trees. Some members of the audience are seated at the café tables and others are invited to join cast members in a game of boules before the show starts. It’s a little taste of France just along from London Bridge and immediately sets the scene for us to meet the locals and hear their stories.
Although the script does not offer much in the way of character development with most being fairly one dimensional, Greenburg’s direction of the talented ensemble cast injects plenty of humour and personality. Choreographer Matt Cole makes full use of the small stage area, moving the cast around the space so that the audience on all sides can see and engage with the actors, with a number for the town’s women using “chairography” to great effect.
As the performance begins, setting the scene is café owner Denise, played by Josefina Gabrielle, injecting plenty of Gallic charm and wit into her performance. She bounces well off husband Claude, played by Norman Pace who brings his excellent comedic talents to the role. We then meet a downtrodden wife dominated by her controlling bully of a husband, a lascivious mayor who lives with his three “nieces”, a judgemental spinster dressed in funereal black, the town drunk and the Parish Priest, who does more to stir the pot than tend his flock. They are all recognisable characters and their squabbles are fun to watch.
Probably the most under developed character is lothario Dominique, played by Joaquin Pedro Valdes. He has the opportunity to display his fine vocals in his big solo song, “Proud Lady”, and does well to inject his character with some boyish charm when he could easily have come across as an arrogant pig. However, his seduction of the baker’s wife is too quick to be convincing and made it difficult to feel any real sympathy for her.
Despite this, in the role of Genevieve, the baker’s wife, Lucie Jones gives a performance that is simply stunning. When we first meet her she is full of smiles and fun, an innocent delighted to have a new home with her lovely, gentle husband. Vocally, she is perfection. No stranger to Schwartz’s work, having played the green girl in Wicked! and appeared in the recent concert performance of Pippin, her voice switches effortlessly from beautiful lyrical melodies to powerfully belted top notes. When she sings, every thought is clear, she’s an expert at acting through song and this is done to great effect in the show’s stand out number, “Meadowlark”.
Playing the role of the baker Aimable, Clive Rowe is heartbreakingly brilliant. We see Aimable’s adoration of his young wife moving to despair that plays out with scenes that, despite showing his life falling apart, still include humour along with the pathos. He is the one character who remains entirely sympathetic and Rowe’s acting coupled with his rich vocal tone will melt the most cynical of hearts.
The Baker’s Wife is a refreshing change to the big, flashy musicals currently playing in London. Its intimate and immersive staging coupled with a very talented cast make for a highly enjoyable night at the theatre, full of charm and warmth.
The Baker’s Wife runs at the Menier Chocolate Factory until Saturday 14th September.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
