Review: Cygnet’s long-delayed ‘La Cage aux Folles’ musical is fun, frothy – The San Diego Union-Tribune

It’s been almost 20 years since David McBean played the drag role of Miss Deep South in a local staging of the beauty competition comedy, “Pageant.” This month, McBean is back in taffeta, heels and a piled-high wig as Zaza, the leading lady in Cygnet Theatre’s “La Cage aux Folles.”

Cygnet was just one performance into its March 2020 production of the Harvey Fierstein-Jerry Herman musical comedy when the pandemic shut it down. On Saturday, the show finally relaunched in a funny and frothy production at the company’s Old Town theater.

Set in Saint-Tropez, France, the 2-hour, 45-minute musical is the story of a long-married gay couple who run the drag nightclub La Cage aux Folles. Georges is the club’s master of ceremonies and Albin — as Zaza — is the club’s star attraction. Despite Albin’s diva-like behavior, all is well until Jean-Michel — Georges’ adult son from a previous relationship, who he and Albin have raised as their own — announces he’s getting married to the daughter of an anti-gay, right-wing politician. Jean-Michel wants to hide Albin and his parents’ lifestyle from his future in-laws, but his plans go awry in a comic restaurant scene featuring Zaza leading the cast in the memorable song, “The Best of Times.”

The production’s two aces are its lead performers, McBean and Lance Arthur Smith, who plays Georges. With his genteel grace, doe eyes and creamy skin, McBean feels just right as Albin/Zaza, and Smith has the upbeat, accommodating, show-must-go-on personality for Georges. They have an easy stage chemistry that makes their relationship feel lived-in and authentic.

McBean’s fierce performance of the self-identity anthem “I Am What I Am” and Smith’s pleading song to Jean-Michel to show mercy to the heartbroken Albin, “Look Over There,” are both sad and moving.

UC San Diego theater student Jake Bradford is believable as the bratty and spoiled Jean-Michel. Megan McCarthy is sweet as his big-hearted fiancée, Anne. Rubbery-faced John Rosen has his comic timing down cold as Anne’s suspicious politician father, Dindon, and Barbara Schoenhofer is Dindon’s kind but repressed wife. Playing the nightclub’s five eccentric Cagelles dancers are Domo D’Dante, Christian Duarte, Siri Hafso, Danta Macatantan and Steven Duncan Sass. Berto Fernandez plays the club’s stage manager, Francis; Lucky Allan Weaver plays Albin’s hysteria-prone maid, Jacob; and Shirley Johnston is the publicity-seeking restaurateur Jacqueline.

Costume designer Jennifer Brawn Gittings created a huge imaginative and amusing wardrobe for Zaza and the Cagelles. Music director/conductor Terry O’Donnell leads the backstage orchestra. Luke Harvey Jacobs designed choreography. Sean Fanning designed the nightclub and apartment scenery and projections. Chris Rynne designed lighting, Peter Herman designed wigs and Bonnie L. Durben designed props.

The 1983 musical takes a while to find its momentum and some of the topical references to old-school gay icons like Mae West feel a little creaky. Fortunately today’s more tolerant culture wouldn’t require the scene forcing Albin to “man up” in public. But “La Cage” is based on a 1973 play when times were different, and relatable — if exaggerated — stories like this have helped advance the slow march toward cultural understanding that families come in all shapes, sizes, genders and sexualities.

‘La Cage aux Folles’

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 2 p.m. Sundays. Through Nov. 17.

Where: Cygnet Theatre, 4040 Twiggs St., San Diego

COVID policy: Full vaccination is required or a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of show time. Masks required indoors.

Tickets: $25 and up

Phone: (619) 337-1525

Online: cygnettheatre.com

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