Review: ‘Forever Plaid’ is an old-favorite musical, just right for the crowd on Drury Lane’s reopening night
Of all the theaters summarily closed by the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Drury Lane had one of the hardest roads back. Its huge, just-opened production of ”An American in Paris” had to be mothballed, causing travel chaos for a bevy of out-of-town artists and a world of fiscal hurt for what is, after all, a long-established family business.
Like its sister theater at the Marriott Resort in Lincolnshire, the Drury Lane Theatre is sticking its institutional big toe back in the perilous waters of producing live entertainment in this tricky era.
“The last time we stood on this stage together we were saying goodbye,” the Drury Lane executive Matt Carney, standing with manager Wendy Stark Prey, said Wednesday night, emotion cracking Carney’s voice. “Welcome back.”
There was little of usual opening-night fizz on view; the usual party was canceled, the media contingent diminished and few showbiz people were present. This audience was made of this venerable theater’s diehard supporters, almost all of a certain age, and they roared their approval at a renaissance that once looked in doubt. Jinx, Frankie, Smudge and Sparky enjoyed a memorable welcome.
If those names don’t ring bells, you clearly didn’t head to the Royal George Theatre Cabaret in the latter half of the 1990s, where a retro show called “Forever Plaid” held court, seducing audiences with harmonic renditions by an old-time group of charming nerds in love with Perry Como, Harry Belafonte and Ed Sullivan. Stuart Ross’ phenomenon became one of the longest running shows in Chicago history. I had the pleasure any number of times.
And for a sense of just how much the world has changed since then, “Forever Plaid” is here to serve. The frame, which involves a small-time singing group being killed in a car crash and then singing their way back from wherever they landed, would never be written now. Nor would a new show lead an audience singalong to Harry Belafonte’s “Matilda” as part of its Caribbean section.
None of that mattered a jot Wednesday night with this audience, delighted to hear the cool sounds of these very likable performers (Bryan Eng, Michael Ferraro, Yando Lopez and A.D. Weaver) and laughing at the Sullivan shtick with gusto.
In Paul Stancato’s very casually staged production, the Plaids had adjusted to the new world order, ad-libbing about germs and, alas and alack, cutting the bit where an audience member ascends to the stage as an honorary Plaid. The lucky man not only got to stay in his seat, but he got a special “Plaid”-branded bottle of hand sanitizer.
All of that, really, was just the clatter. What mattered to everyone was the music — ”Three Coins in a Fountain,” “Catch a Falling Star,” “Love is a Many Splendored Thing.”
Sung and played live. Felt good to all.
Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.
Review: “Forever Plaid”
When: Through Nov. 7
Where: Drury Lane Theatre, 1 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace
Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Tickets: $57-$72 at 630-530-0111 and drurylanetheatre.com
COVID protocols: Masks required while in the theater.
