"Souvenir" at Sixth Street Playhouse

I had seen Stephen Temperley’s wildly funny “Souvenir “several times over the past three years so this marked the third time to see this entertaining and ultimately poignant life of the socialite and tone deaf singer of the 1930s and 40’s who unwittingly desecrated a ruthless classical repertoire.

Sixth Street Playhouse presented a touching story of Florence Foster Jenkins efforts to become a great coloratura soprano who gave private recitals at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The two hour and thirty minute “fictional biography” covers the life of the society matron beginning in 1927 when she hired 29 year old musician Cosme McMoon as a recital pianist to the ill fame concert at Carnegie Hall on October 1944.

The second act was a Reader’s Digest version of the infamous concert for the armed forces at Carnegie Hall. It was accented by Pam Enz’s outlandish costumes and highlighted by Florence’s deference to her devoted pianist as she performed his Mexican “Serenata”.

Although billed as a farce, I found director Michael Fontaine production more poignant that the prior productions I have seen. Mary Gannon Graham was brilliant in the role of Florence Foster Jenkins. She made this character more human than the prior actresses who portrayed the role. Whether singing or speaking, she was an absolute delight. She also had great vocal cords when singing Shubert’s “Ava Maria” as the way it was meant to be sung at the end of the production.

John Shillington was just the right balance to the crazy antics of the singer and he landed every droll line with excellent timing and great body language. He also had a great voice singing Gershwin’s “Crazy Rhythm”.

Later I joined the two member cast for a Question and Answer session since I was at the concert in October 1944 just before shipping out to the Pacific Theatre of War.