You Can't Take It With You is a comedic revival that shows you the true meaning of family and love. Through it's quirky characters, the audience is able to see a true example of perfect comedic timing. This show was one that I wasn't too determined to see; however, I was proven wrong by it's magnificent direction and actors. It was truly a wonderful piece of theatre.
If you saw The Addam's Family musical and loved it, you're going to love this show. Why? Because the story lines are very similar. Girl likes guy, girl has weird family, guy doesn't care, and so on. However, the way that this show was performed had a true, authentic feel rather than the bizarre charisma that The Addam's Family exerts. Both are extremely remarkable works of art, but in my opinion, You Can't Take It With You is a lot better.
I'm not saying my school is the best, nor am I doing any self promotion, but I am saying it does train actors to entertain to their full extent. Of course, I am referring to the wonderful Annaleigh Ashford who plays "Essie". I saw Ashford in Kinky Boots back in January 2014 and I immediately thought that she was a hit. She's beautiful, she's talented, and she's absolutely hilarious. Her performance of Essie was truly incredible. Then there was Rose Byrne. Mostly renowned for her role Helen in Bridesmaids, this Australian native took on the role of Alice. It's always wonderful to see a foreign actor completely master an American accent, which is what Byrne did. I knew that she was Australian prior to the show, but if I hadn't, I would've been convinced. Byrne can definitely be considered a seasoned actress. The role of Alice definitely required an immense amount of emotional recall as well as an even balance of comedy, which Byrne pretty much epitomized. When you see the actress in Bridesmaids, you're not experiencing Byrne's full potential. It's usually like that when you're watching a film. Theatre captures someone's full potential, which is one of the reasons that I adore it so much. Of course some of the credit for these wonderful actors must go to the director, Scott Ellis, for truly recognizing those comedic moments. But a show would be nothing without it's actors.
And of course, the actors would be no where without the script! I was pretty familiar with the show's text before, and honestly I wasn't a fan. Sometimes, you need to see things come to life before you fully appreciate them, and that was the case for me in regards to this show. When I read it, I thought it was missing something. That something is the comedy moments found in the subtext. I loved this adaptation because all of the actors really understood their surroundings. They understood what they wanted, their place in society, their place in the house, etc. All of the characters were very well developed and entertaining. Often in straight plays, two hours of dialogue can get monotonous and tedious. Especially in this production which holds three acts and two intermissions. Yet I can proudly say I did not find myself bored one bit. Every moment I was in that theatre, I was entertained.
Furthermore, I would definitely recommend this show to anyone. It is family friendly, it's funny, it's warm-hearted, and it has some of the best acting on Broadway right now. However, you have to hurry because it is closing on February 22nd! I would suggest that you try doing student rush. It's cheap and usually empty. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the show!
5 out of 5 rikdastars
Until next time!
-Rikki
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