Step right up to experience the razzle-dazzle of a circus, live on Broadway.
A veterinarian-in-training, Jacob even strikes up friendships with the circus' animal acts.
The latestGleealum totake Broadwaycertainly succeeds as a grounding presence for the story: hes plausible, but not invigorating.
Grant Gustin and Isabelle McCalla in ‘Water For Elephants’.Matthew Murphy
The circus performers, or kinkers as they so frequently remind him, bringWater For Elephantsto life.
The Jessica Stone-directed musical is never more compelling than when the stage is theirs for the taking.
The performers ooze charisma, spreading infectious excitement even when they arent showing off their death defying feats.
The cast of ‘Water for Elephants’.Matthew Murphy
And when they are, its an undeniably thrilling affair.
A particularly mesmerizing sequence interprets the death of an animal as an aerial dancer on silks.
The melodies dont linger and the lyrics leave much to be desired.
The cast of ‘Water for Elephants’.Matthew Murphy
Its here that Gustin as Jacob finds his way in.
As he did withHadestown, lighting designer Bradley King transports us seamlessly between Takeshi Katas sets.
That’s all it needs anyway; the company fills the stage.
It happens, it’s brushed past, the story moves forth.
But the shows sentimentality holds.
If nothing else, we never wonder how Jacob is swept away by the circus.
