‘Jacques Brel Is Alive’ but Not Kicking

Heartfelt but not folksy or quaint, California Repertory Company’s mod-looking production of “Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris” gains enough momentum in the second act to be called a moderate success.

The ensemble works well, with a standout performance by Armando Jose Duran, who delivers his dramatic songs with passion and finesse. Jeff Paul gives a generally solid vocal performance, and there is strong support from the rest of the cast.

Still, this musical revue took the entire first act to warm to its enviable task--perhaps due to opening-weekend nerves. Even when the show recovered with a more lively second act, however, the overall atmosphere was still a bit bland.

The production could use a more Parisian touch, director Jeanne Gordon’s Magritte-themed stage note notwithstanding.

In fact, the sleek cube platforms of the scenic design leave the players little freedom to move on the intimate Cal Rep Theatre’s tiny stage. They manage to negotiate the confined space without mishap but seem to be walking on eggshells, albeit gracefully.

The evening’s pleasures are notable for the ribald songs Brel wrote. There are roughly two dozen here, ranging from bitter to bittersweet, poignant to defiant. Whether comic or tragic, they tell deeply felt, often satirical stories full of wisdom and regret.

Jacques Brel, who died at age 49 in 1977, was a popular Belgian-born troubadour of the ‘60s who gained a wide following, especially after the debut of “Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well . . . “ in Greenwich Village a quarter-century ago.

Brel’s earthy humor can be blunt. He writes about “timid Freda,” who turns vixen and becomes a prostitute. His lyrics can be tough (“If I could be cute in a stupid-ass way”) as well as tender (“I cheated love with each caress”).

I especially liked the climactic “Port of Amsterdam,” which Duran infused with vivid energy and drama. Also appealing: the deadpan irony of a song ostensibly about bullfighting.

The hypnotic refrain gives a sense of Brel’s moody candor: “On Sundays the bulls get so bored when they are asked to show off for us . . . / On Sundays the bulls get so bored when they are asked to suffer for us . . . / On Sundays the bulls get so bored when they are asked to drop dead for us. . . .”

The painted backdrop a la Magritte (who was, like Brel, from Belgium but is also associated with Paris) lends a certain gloss to the production.

A giant peace dove, imprinted in the pale blue sky, plays surreal hide and seek with fleecy white clouds, and a trompe l’oeil cube juts from the wall, complementing the imagery on stage. It’s not clear what the scenic polish has to do with Brel’s songs, though.

If nothing else, the painter has given us something to look at when the stasis of Gordon’s first-act staging gets too monotonous. But when the second act comes to the rescue, and Gordon’s staging redeems itself (in tandem with Holly Harbinger’s apt choreography), all eyes are devoted to the ensemble.

Monica Barnas cuts a bright figure as the choreographic center of attention. But she seems vocally underused, and this tends to mute her personality. It would have been better for the show’s balance, not just for her, to have given her an additional solo or two.

I kept waiting for Barnas and the rest of the ensemble to break out as Duran does. But it didn’t happen, which also sums what transpired musically.

The piano could have been played with greater spontaneity and fullness. As woodenly performed by musical director Laura Hemenway, the musical arrangement sounded routine despite some nice flourishes from her accompanists, guitarist Dennis Russell and percussionist Jason Oliver.

* “Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris,” California Repertory Company, Cal State Long Beach, Cal Rep Theatre between East and West Campus drives on 7th Street, Long Beach. Wednesday, 6 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m. Ends March 9. $15 and $10 (students, seniors). (310) 985-7000 or (310) 985-5526. Running time: 1 hour, 50 minutes.

With Monica Barnas, Armando Jose Duran, Matthew Gitkin, Davis Mejia and Jeff Paul.

A California Repertory Company production of a musical revue by Jacques Brel, with production conception, English lyrics and additional material by Brel and Mort Shuman, based on Brel’s lyrics and commentary. Director: Jeanne Gordon. Scenic design: Corey B. Holst. Costume design: Ronda Brooks. Lighting design: Mark Abel. Choreographer: Holly Harbinger. Production manager: Daniel C. Touris. Stage manager: Mary Omoto.