"Love Sick" is the creation of Ofra Daniel and Lior Ben-Hur. It's a telling of the love poetry from Song of Songs woven into a simple story of a women who has gone mad from love's ravages. It begins with her, homeless, asleep on a bench at a Jerusalem bus stop. She awakes and tells the tale of this crazy woman, gradually moving back in time revealing the she is this woman. Married young to a widower fishmonger with two boys. It's a loveless marriage, until a secret admirer starts to win her affections through notes left under the door of her home. The main character is supported on stage by a male actor who plays principly her fishmonger husband, a chorus of 4 women who are known as "women of Jerusalem", and an ensemble of six musicians, one of whom also plays the role of "the Lover".I have to say that it's an ambitious production with great ambitions. In the program a section is dedicated to the role DC has played in launching major musicals to Broadway acclaim citing in particular "Dear Evan Hansen" that got it's start at Arena Stage, and "Come from Away" that made it's final pre-Boardway run at Ford's Theatre. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill, and this musical's feet are just two small to make that work.
Before I speak about the fatal flaw, let me say that it was entertaining. The set was complex and created wonderful changes in mood in conjunction with the lighting. The music was beautiful. In fact, shuffling out with other audience members, compliments regarding the music were the only specific praises I overheard from the other patrons. In particular, the clarinetist, Mila Weiss, deserves special recognition.
The role of "The Lover" is played by Ali Paris who's bio was the most impressive of the group. Born in Morocco, studied in Palestine, performed from the age of 9 in concert halls all over the middle east. Degree from Boston's Berklee College of Music. Worked with Quincy Jones, Alicia Keys, Paco De Luca, Bobby McFerrin, soloed with the Boston Symphony. Performs on a 14th century 76-stringed zither called a Qanun. I mean, it sort of sets you up for an expectation of something amazing. Truth is, if he'd never strummed it, it probably wouldn't have been missed.
The other actors were local, the chorus was amazing. Lots of energy and a fearless, even joyous commitment to the material.
At that's where the problem lies. The leading actor is Ofra Daniel. She is the writer. She created this initially as a knock-off filler for her fledgling theatre company in Berkeley, California. (I think she brought Ali into the project there, and he accompanied her to DC for this east coast premiere.) It seemed to work and it intrigued her to the point that she's dedicated a lot of time and energy in refining and expanding it. Before I delve into why "Love Sick" didn't work for me, I also want to make clear that Ofra Daniel is a competent actor by all indications. She has a commanding presence on the stage. Gorgeous appearance and physicality. So why did the show leave me with an overall impression of "meh..."? I pondered this all the way home on the Metro. Then I had this revelation. Daniel was just too close it to hold a critical perspective necessary to see for herself what was wrong.
To be the imaginer, creator, writer, co-composer and star is not something just anyone can do. Orson Welles managed it. Kenneth Branagh mostly gets it right. Nilaja Sun absolutely nailed it in her one woman play "Pike St.". But Ms. Daniel....not so much. Specifically here's why: she's dealing with one of the most amazing love poems ever written, and she plays it full of anger. It's just seething below the surface. One of the ways it exposed itself was when the chorus joins in or transitions to taking over the scene, the mood immediately lightens. Mind you, she's not doing anything overtly angry, that's how insidious it was. And it was exhausting as an audience member. As much as I wanted to like the show, it just sapped my will to. In for a penny, I wonder at what point anyone would lose their ability to maintain a barrier between the character they are portraying and their own inner truth after being so immersed in a project like this for so long? I think it would be interesting to let somebody else play the lead and have somebody else who is only familiar with the concept direct it.
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