There has been huge expectancy about the Sydney world premiere of ‘Doctor Zhivago A New Musical’. As historical, romantic dramas go, ‘Doctor Zhivago’ is major league, it’s like Russia’s equivalent to Margaret Mitchell’s masterpiece ‘Gone with the Wind’, both classic novels focusing on extraordinary love affairs amidst civil revolution.
This musical, ten years in the waiting, is well worth the wait! Des McAnuff’s production ‘Dr Zhivago The Musical’ brings Boris Pasternak’s 1957 novel evocatively to the stage, just as David Lean’s 1965 film did for the screen.
Michael Weller’s book creates a clear structure to stage Pasternak’s narrative. Five characters are placed at the centre of the action- three men. Dr Zhivago, Pasha and Komarovsky are in love with the same women; two women, Lara and Tonia are in love with the same man. The narrative is driven by the question what will happen when two destinies, Dr Zhivago’s and Lara’s, collide?!
Anthony Warlow is wonderful, playing one of literature’s finest roles. With Dr Zhivago being such an articulate, passionate man, who because of his position as a medico is caught up in the middle of the sweeping changes taking place, we get to feel and taste what it was like to live in Russian in the early 20th century.
In the other leading roles, WAAPA graduate Lucy Maunder makes a memorable Lara, Taneel Van Zyl a big hearted Tonia, Martin Crewes a fierce Pasha, and Batholomew John is an intense, controlling Kormarovsky.
Composer Lucy Simon (sister to the great Carly Simon), with lyricists Michael Korie and Amy Powers, has created a richly melodic stirring soundtrack, including the headlining ballads ’Now’ and ‘On The Edge Of Time’.
Michael Scott- Mitchell’s set on the expansive Lyric stage is awesome with the emphasis being on capturing Russia in upheaval, his central metaphor being tangled chairs spiraling up to the ceiling.
A great feature of the production is the stunning use of multi-media, video and photo images, through the play. In one stunning moment, Dr Zhivago’s hand written notes sweep full length across the stage.
Paternak’s novel has one of the most devastating dramatic scenes in all of literature, the scene where Doctor Zhivago after being away on medical duty returns to his family home in Moscow and finds his home taken holus bolus over by the Communist Party. His wife Tonia is speechless to him. Warlow and Maunder play the scene beautifully.
A powerful stage adaptation of Pasternak’s great novel, Des McAnuff’s production of ‘Dr Zhivago- A New Musical’ opened at the Lyric theatre, Star City on Saturday 19th February and runs till Sunday April 3, 2011.
