‘Chasing Nicolette’ is one fun pursuit

Published 9:49 pm Thursday, October 22, 2009

I told my husband that he would really like Village Theatre’s new musical, “Chasing Nicolette,” because the whole thing is done in rhyming verse.

He was dubious. I replied: “It just worked. It really worked.”

Seriously, the results of rhyming this story are ridiculously funny. Follow that up with a winning score supported by some stunning voices and add an ingenious set design and “Chasing Nicolette” is a show you’ll want to pursue.

“Chasing Nicolette” is presented largely by the same talented team that brought the Nellie Bly story, “Stunt Girl,” to Village Theatre.

“Nicolette” was conceived by David Friedman, who has composed songs for Diana Ross and Barry Manilow, with book and lyrics by two-time Tony-award nominee Peter Kellogg, who decided to write the book, or libretto, completely in iambic pentameter. The next question is one he’s fielded more than once: Why?

He gave lots of good reasons, not the least of which is how funny exchanges can be had through verse by employing a trick or two, such as using an unusual rhyme or using the rhyme as a punch line or playing with the expectation of a rhyme, as in “w.a.i.t. for it.”

Keep in mind this ain’t no Shakespeare or Moliere. This language is totally contemporary.

“The verse adds to the humor, it gives a classic feel to the story and it actually flows nicely into the songs,” Kellogg said. “Because the language is already heightened, it doesn’t feel like such a stretch when people start singing. Who knew?”

Do you hear that, hubby?

“Chasing Nicolette” is a touching, fast-paced and at times ribald love story — based on the French romance “Aucassin and Nicolette” — between a Christian count and a Muslim princess during a time of war and prejudice in the year 1224.

Of course, the cards are stacked against these two lovers. Then deal in some angry parents, a dark dungeon, a man-hungry convent school graduate and an immensely beleaguered servant and you’ve got a full house — uh, castle — of entertainment that draws between romantic and slapstick comedy.

The humor is value-added with a melodic score that contains such comic contributions as the vaudeville tune “Romance,” along with the numbers “I’m Not Upset” and “You Have to Lie.”

Speaking of castles, I just wanted to get on stage and climb on the one in this set. Scenic designer Scott Fyfe helped play up the physical comedy with a rotating set of uncanny versatility — in one single scene the set changes dizzyingly from castle to dungeon to courtyard.

All this is held together with the armor-clad strength of a cast who had no chinks.

Seattle favorite Nick DeSantis played the scene-stealer throughout the show as silly and sarcastic servant Valere; he even got downright Monty Python in one scene.

Tanesha Ross gave a stunning performance as Nicolette, hitting the song “Nothing in Common,” right out of the kingdom. Brian Demar Jones and Matthew John Kacergis delivered dynamite debut performances as Nemur and Aucassin respectively. The dependable Jessica Skerritt didn’t let us down as the sex-starved Gwendolyn. And there’s no way to really prepare for this, but hold on to your seat when the King, played by Timothy McCuen Piggee, belts out “Sing to Her.”

And as I tried to explain to my husband, “Chasing Nicolette” might have been set in 1224, but the story does make the point, as writer Peter Kellogg said, that “people are pretty much the same no matter when they live.”

“The story touches on some serious, contemporary themes,” Kellogg said, “but we’ve tried to treat them with a light touch and … we think that was the right approach.”

Hear ye, hear ye.

Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424; goffredo@heraldnet.com.