What I liked
It was a stroke of genius to cast a real-life husband and wife couple to tackle this material. Both lyric soprano, Gina Ansaldi and tenor, Kendre Scott have moments together and apart where they shine.
For a Fringe show, the stage decoration was ample and befitting the two separate apartments the show requires. I also commend the bulk of the lighting design (save for a few spots where the performers were dark).
What I didn't like
Given where I was seated (which was closer to Scott and the accompanist behind him), at times, it was difficult to hear Ansaldi on the other side of the stage.
Also, I ached for more of a wardrobe for the cast to wear. Perhaps having articles of clothing that could be removed might have been fun to play with and given the cast something to do on their “off” time. Additionally, having some sort of projections would have filled the space more.
My overall impression
Marry Me a Little is probably the most difficult of the Sondheim revues to pull off. The reasoning is two-fold: first, most of the songs are completely unknown and secondly, this revue has no accompanying dialogue to help explain any transitions from song to song.
Sondheim aficionados will surely appreciate seeing this show and perhaps doing what I did, comparing it to some of his other revues: namely, Side by Side by Sondheim, Putting it Together, and the newest, Old Friends.
Marry Me a Little fits with Chromolume Theatre’s mission in producing Sondheim’s musicals, particularly ones that are not seen or done that often. While the revue is not his strongest work, I applaud the effort nonetheless.
