It has been four long years since A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder received the Tony Award for Best Musical, but that seemed not to matter a whit to the packed house that flocked to Milwaukee’s Marcus Center for the Performing Arts on opening night to see its first performance here. For musicals that have an extended run in Chicago—such as A Gentleman’s Guide—it typically takes months or years for musicals to make their way north to Milwaukee. It should be noted, however, that this same tour appeared in Madison, WI in October 2017. So true believers need not have waited to see the Milwaukee debut, if they were willing to drive the 90 miles to Madison. Judging from the audience’s keen response to the onstage antics, even those who had seen the show previously were ready for more. For the uninitiated, A Gentleman's Guide tells the uproarious story of Monty Navarro, a distant heir to a family fortune who sets out to jump the line of succession, by any means necessary. All the while, he's got to juggle his mistress (she's after more than just love), his fiancée (she's his cousin but who's keeping track?), and the constant threat of landing behind bars! Of course, it will all be worth it if he can slay his way to his inheritance... and be done in time for tea. What makes the musical rise above the ordinary is due in no small part to James Taylor Odom, who assumes the roles of all Monty’s obstacles to the top position. In this non-Equity cast, all the performers do a terrific job, making this truly a breezy, clever treat. Some background: A Gentleman’s Guide to Murder opened at the Walter Kerr Theater on Broadway in November 2013. It won four Tony Awards, including the top prize: Best Musical. The show’s director, book writer, and costume designer also received Tony awards. It must be made clear that this show is not for viewers who long for a love story. A Gentleman’s Guide appeals to the brain, not the heart. The characters are little more than caricatures, except perhaps for Monty (a fetchingly exuberant Blake Price), his mistress (Colleen McLaughlin as Sibella) and his fiancée (Briana Gantsweg as Phoebe D’Ysquith).
James Taylor Odom, in multiple roles, must whisk himself in and out of costumes in nearly the wink of an eye. All of his characters identify with characteristics of the upper classes, whether it’s Lady Hyacinth, who needs a cause to crusade for (Lady Hyacinth), a lech who doesn’t understand why people must be poor, or a closeted, gay man, who sings, “It’s Better with a Man.” To be fair, at least one of the D’Ysquiths (pronounced DIE-squith — get it?) takes young Monty under his wing, offering him a job in his counting house. Thankfully, old age takes care of eliminating this D’Ysquith from the list of those standing between Monty and the earldom. The musical’s best scene is the one shown at the Tony Awards broadcast, with Monty standing in a hallway between two doors. On either side of a door are the girls of his dreams: sexy Sibella (dressed in red), and virtuous Phoebe (in chaste blue). Both women exhibit stellar voices and a keen sense of comic timing to make this a hilarious moment in conjunction with Monty. The show is one to be savored, but not at a languorous pace. The lyrics fly by faster than a formation of geese heading south. On opening night, some of the words were garbled, unfortunately, especially during the opening and closing numbers. It seems the norm that opening night performances in the Marcus Center run the risk of spotty sound. However, this is a small quibble in comparison to the delight in store for audiences. A Gentleman’s Guide blends bits of the English music hall, the American musical and, let’s face it, vaudeville, into a feast for our intellect. It may not move audience’s hearts, but A Gentleman’s Guide succeeds in every respect. Milwaukeeans will agree that this is a show worth waiting for.
