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Review: AGL's uneven 'Beguiled Again' is held together with crossed fingers and determination

By Candace Chaney Contributing Theater Critic

Beguiled by show tunes After a summer of turmoil, Actors Guild of Lexington gets back to its raison d'être this weekend: putting on shows. The theater, which is in the midst of a financial crisis and whose artistic director departed last month, is presenting Beguiled Again, a revue based on the music of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. A six-person cast of Lexington musical theater veterans — including, above, Julie-Ann Aguhob, left, Liz Bachman and Sarah M. Matthews and, at right, Wood Van Meter, center, and Cameron Perry with Matthews — will deliver a set of tunes including My Funny Valentine and Blue Moon. The show runs through Oct. 4 (7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday). Tickets — $30 for premium seats, $20 adults, $17 ages 65 and older, $15 students — are available by calling 1-866-811-4111 or visiting www.actorsguildoflexington.com. Rich Copley

• IF YOU GO: Beguiled Again: The Songs of Rodgers and Hart, presented by Actors Guild of Lexington

“We’re still here!” Actors Guild of Lexington managing director Kimberly Shaw exclaimed in her curtain speech on opening night of Beguiled Again, a musical revue of the songs of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. Yes, Actors Guild is still here — but just barely.

AGL has had a rough summer of financial troubles and personnel changes, but the season opener feels like the kind of show that is held together with blood, sweat, duct tape and a lot of crossed fingers. Technical elements seem hurriedly and thoughtlessly assembled and while the six-piece ensemble of performers has the pipes to do the music justice, they falter as actors, lacking the necessary verve and charisma to effectively sell the show to the audience.

Featuring more than 50 Rodgers and Hart selections that span the duo’s Broadway and Hollywood career, Beguiled Again’s greatest challenge is its very format: the musical revue. With no plot, no back story, no real characters even, the show relies on music and spectacle alone to make its case. A few cheesy skits serve as transitions from one song grouping to another, often linked by theme. Because a musical revue does not have a storyline to keep the audience engaged, to succeed it must rely entirely on a strong directorial vision, flawless technical design and performers who really know how to work a crowd. As of Friday night, none of these elements had begun to jell.

The directorial vision of Stephen Currens, the third director affiliated with the show, lacks polish and originality and fails to compensate for obvious weaknesses. For instance, knowing that the performers cannot carry the thrust of the show themselves (a bright and captivating Sarah M. Matthews being the notable exception), why not indulge in some glamorous spectacle to keep the audience entertained? How about sparklier costuming or more visually engaging set and lighting design? Eric Seale’s set design offers a simple enough premise: A three-piece band is flanked on either side by suspended large mirrors that smack of Broadway dressing rooms. I am no carpenter, but something in their construction seems largely unfinished, a trait that intermittently plagues other aspects of the production. For example, there is more than one instance in which the performers simply stand and sing with their arms to the sides, indicating to me that perhaps some choreography remains to be added.

Speaking of things to be added, I was flummoxed by the presence of a large projector screen suspended behind the band. The words “Beguiled Again” are brightly displayed in a funky, neon-sign font. I was expecting visual images to be projected during the show, perhaps some New York scenes during Broadway skits or whatever might correspond with the show’s shifting themes. But there was never anything else projected onto the screen except for the word “intermission.” Why go to the trouble of adding this element without using it? Why not just make a real sign instead?

The show is not all bad, just wildly uneven, with peaks and valleys that range from soaring vocal harmonies and solos rendered with aching tenderness to stilted choreography and ho-hum filler pieces that are executed without confidence or heart. Some scenes, like the show’s opening number, seem downright student-y. Perhaps it was David Probus’ washed-out lighting in the opening numbers, but a few of the actors had the deer-in-the-headlights look of stage fright and seemed to be literally just going through the motions. Their stiff nerves seemed to thaw as the show gained momentum, and by the second act, scenes like the show’s rousing finale elevated the production to more professional levels.

If Currens and company can get the remainder of the show, which runs through Oct. 4, on par with its better moments, Beguiled Again might experience a revival. Otherwise, it is a rough but tenacious testament to determination. Yes, despite a host of obstacles, the show did go on. That's about it.