By LucyKomisar
“Water for Elephants,” book by Rick Elice, music and lyrics by Pigpen Theatre Company, transports audiences to the rough glamour of a Depression-era traveling circus. Based on Sara Gruen’s novel, this musical adaptation is a charming, if somewhat hokey spectacle that relies on stunning choreography and circus acts.
Set in 1931, we follow Jacob Jankowski, a Cornell-educated veterinarian whose world implodes when his parents die. In a moment of desperation, he hops a train and finds himself swept into the colorful world of a circus. Through the framing device of an older Jacob, the show takes us back to his life’s greatest adventure and the people who became part of his life.
The circus is in trouble. Then Rosie, a 53-year-old elephant arrives, but she resists training until Jacob and Marlena (Isabelle McCalla) the wife of the ringmaster, succeed. Marlena’s plaintive song “Easy” tells how. They make Rosie the star attraction.
“Water for Elephants” doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of circus life. The ringmaster is a violent, cruel figure, exerting power over the circus workers. The juxtaposition of beauty and brutality is realized in a chilling dance featuring puppet heads.
What the play lacks in narrative originality, it more than makes up for in its breathtaking visuals.
The choreography by Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll) blends traditional musical theater with acrobatics and circus arts. Dancers transformed to workers and animals execute jaw-dropping feats. Magical elements come from clever stagecraft. The elephant is suggested through shadow play on a screen, while puppetry and leathery fabric bring circus animals to life, including a toothless lion and a horse transformed into an acrobat. The ringmaster’s “The lion has got no teeth” is an upbeat song about such circus illusions that are also lies. “You can say that it’s amoral, but our pride’s in our lies, lies, lies, lies.”
The musical score evokes the era with a blend of jazzy numbers, country-tinged melodies, and even touches of Polish folk music in traditional high-powered Broadway style dancing. The music underscores the carnival atmosphere, especially with the authentic sounds of a calliope.
The young Jacob is appealing, grounding the sometimes overly sentimental plot. Marlena’s sweet voice conveys emotion. Their chemistry feels genuine, even if their storyline treads familiar ground.
“Water for Elephants” wins on choreography, puppetry and acrobatic wonder. And who doesn’t like the circus!
“Water for Elephants.” Book by Rick Elice, music & lyrics by Pigpen Theatre Co., based on the novel by Sara Gruen. Directed by Jessica Stone, choreography by Jesse Robb & Shana Carroll. Imperial Theatre, 249 West 45th Street, NYC. Runtime 2hrs40min. Opened March 21, 2024, open run. For links to songs go here.