The Great Comet of 1812 with music and lyrics by David Malloy is built around a 70 page segment of segment from Leo Tolstoy‘s War and Peace.
In the show, princess Natasha, though engaged, becomes smitten with the young and handsome Analole who is a womanizer.
The musical is set in 1812 Moscow Russia. Theater West End does an amazing job of allowing the large cast to mingle and perform among the audience. The fast paced music is dissonant and often slips into spoke word set to the beat. I found myself swept away and moving to the beat. So many scenes are a profound joyous celebration while others question life itself.
Seated on the upper level of the stage, Pierre Bezukkov glumly overlooked the proceedings. is wife, Helene, played a role in entangling Natasha and Analole. So much is happening that I had difficulty deciding what to include in the sketch. The center stage spins and and often the entire cast is dancing among the audience cafe tables. At one point a purple egg was dropped on my table. I discovered it was filled with rice or stones and made a nice rattle to keep beat with the music. In this was the show is a bit like the Rocky Horror Picture Show set in 1812 Russia.
This show runs through December 8, 2024. Be sure to catch it. Tickets run from $33.85 to $40.27. It is a wild time.