STAGE REVIEW : Under the Charm, ‘Mandrake’ Has No Heart

In “Desire Under the Elms” Eugene O’Neill takes the story of a proud old man who foolishly thinks he can engender an heir with a young wife and ends up with a son--by being cuckolded.

In “Mandrake,” a musical version of Machiavelli’s 465-year-old “La Mandragola,” a proud old man who wants an heir similarly gets his wish when a handsome young man sleeps with his young wife.

But where O’Neill’s play ends with wrath, vengeance, love and death, “Mandrake” becomes a “Field of Dreams” in which everyone’s dreams come true--with a Machiavellian twist.

Everybody gets what he wants in “Mandrake” without a price tag attached. Of course, in “Mandrake,” getting what you want entails lying, cheating and adultery, but hey, the ends justify the means, and the net effect is a lot like the happily-ever-after feeling of “Into the Woods” without the dark second act.

If you take your entertainment without a drop of morality, “Mandrake,” playing at the North Coast Repertory Theatre through July 29, is as pleasant a place as any to while away 2 1/2 hours.

It relies on colorful stock characters of the past--the Renaissance priest, virtuous wife, doddering husband, handsome rake, charlatan salesman and shrewish mother.

“Mandrake” has a pleasant but forgettable score by composer Anthony Bowles and lyricist-book writer Michael Alfreds. Worse, however, it has no heart. Knock on the tinny tale, and it comes up hollow.

Much of the charm in the production can be credited to the spirited direction of Andrew Barnicle and a cast that contains several winning performances, especially those by USIU-trained singers Josh Fischel and Sarah Lang, who co-starred in USIU’s “Tintypes” last year.

Fischel portrays the handsome rake, and Lang the sweet, befuddled young wife, Lucrezia, whom he hopes to seduce. Both bring a remarkably charismatic focus to what in other hands might be boring cartoon characters.

Among their fine support is Dynell Leigh Tavares, a scene-stealer as the pregnant unwed mother in search of a husband when she addresses the question of paternity in one of the best songs in the score, “Whose Baby.”

Diane Thrasher pours on the steam as the widow who has lost the key to her chastity belt and satisfies her amorous longings with confessions of her lusty fantasies; Gerard Gravellese crackles with exasperation as the servant so busy with dealing with his master’s amorous affairs that he has no time for his own; Todd Rice seethes as the novice with wandering fingers; Roberta Polgar percolates with nervous inhibition on the verge of exploding as the professional chaperone, and Grant Taylor provides Puck-like good cheer as the shyster whose twisted machinations solve the problems his pills and potions pretend to cure.

The quality of the voices and the performances ebbs and flows through the piece, which could benefit with some cutting. Barry Odom’s costumes add to the color, and Barnicle’s practical set facilitates the swiftly moving plot. Charlie Creasy’s energetic musical direction produces results in the ensemble numbers, but cannot compensate for the weaknesses of some of the individual voices.

When the deux ex machinas are working, it is easy enough to roll with the comic punches. But the individual parts--no matter how some may sparkle--do not add up to a satisfying whole.

‘MANDRAKE’

Based on the story by Niccolo Machiavelli. Book and lyrics by Michael Alfreds. Music by Anthony Bowles. Director, Andrew Barnicle. Musical direction, Charles Creasy. Choreography, Tom Vannucci. Set, Andrew Barnicle. Lighting, Alexandra Pontone. Costumes, Barry Odom. With Gerard Gravellese, Dynell Leigh Tavares, Josh Fischel, Sarah Lang, Trina Kaplan, Diane Thrasher, Lolita Maddalena, Roberta Polgar, Scott Davis, Todd Rice, Jim Clevenger and Grant Taylor. At 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 7 p.m. Sundays, through July 29, at 987D Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach.