Thanks to Paul Dick, Wuthering Heights has new legs and a fresh melodious sound at the Mint Theater. Dick has retooled Emily Bronte’s classic novel into a romantic musical. And it demolishes the myth that musicals with a literary source always dilute their origins.
Although Bronte’s novel is famous for its elaborate design, this musical adaptation pares the story down to its bare essentials. Dick has coupled the verbal wit of Bronte’s masterpiece to a musical score, creating a strong framework of 16 scenes with a rich tapestry of musical numbers. He has crafted songs that not only tell the tale but allow us to see into the hearts and minds of the characters. The show is almost totally driven by arias but it never becomes stuffy or pretentious, grounding itself with raw emotional intensity.
The story, set in the Yorkshire Moors, follows the life of Heathcliff, a mysterious gypsy-like person from about age seven to his death. On the surface, Wuthering Heights is a love story revolving around Cathy and Heathcliff, but at the core of it is a wild revenge story. Heathcliff, betrayed by his childhood sweetheart Cathy, decides to exact revenge against her family and her spouse’s family (the Lintons).
A lot of musicals run out of steam. But not this one. Abetted by the solid acting of its large cast (including 3 children), the show has no dull spots. Jonathan Grunert as the dour Heathcliff captures very precisely the transitions of his character from homeless waif to wealthy master of Wuthering Heights. And Erin Wegner Brooks as Cathy effectively embodies the ambiguities of her character’s complex nature. Molly Vogt-Welch as Isabella lends weight to one of the supporting roles. Her nominal aria, “Isabella’s Aria (A Life Without Love)” is iceberg-deep and a poignant reflection on a wife’s betrayal. Dawn Timm. as the faithful maid was strong of voice and a compelling presence as a running link through the lives of the tragic lovers. Miles Kath, Bridget Megan Clark, Zachary Konstantinidis as Young Hindley, Young Cathy, and Young Heathcliff, respectively, have minor parts, but they smartly round out the production. In addition, Clark and Konstantinidis not only show poise here, but both young actors bear a striking resemblance to their adult counterparts.
Tim McMath’s set, all 4 paneled screens and minimal furniture, shows that it is possible to divest Bronte’s classic of realistic detail without cheating theatergoers of the intricately layered tale. Granted, you don’t get the magnificent scenes of the Yorkshire countryside that you see in the 1939 film of Wuthering Heights with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon. But you do get some great dramatic moments here when Scott Needham’s lighting is harmoniously superimposed on McMath’s set. One of the most powerful scenes of the evening, in fact, is when Heathcliff’s corpse is resurrected in Act 2 to join Catherine’s ghost standing behind a transparent panel.
The other essential ingredient is the contribution of musical director Michael Sheetz, who performs wonders on a single piano. Sheetz succeeds by his sheer virtuosity and impeccable timing. He also proves that you don’t need a large orchestra to pull off a romantic musical.
This is the third time that Dick’s Wuthering Heights has graced the Mint Theater stage. Helmed by Matthew Gutschick, theatergoers who love a good bargain should take this opportunity to see this adaptation of Bronte’s classic. Perhaps the great virtue of this production is that every character is boldly seen from his or her point of view. Unlike the novel, which alternately relies on Lockwood and the servant Nellie’s perspective of events, this musical gives each character a distinct voice.
Admittedly, there are times when I wish that a few more scenes might be tucked in to clarify the intricacies of the plot. But if you don’t mind Bronte’s classic broadly told, then you can overlook what’s missing, and focus on this theatrical retelling of the story.
Bronte brought to her novel a moral anger at injustice, a compassion for the dispossessed, and an acute awareness of the inflexibility of social classes circa 1790. The highest compliment I can pay to this production is that I don’t think Emily Bronte herself would have felt that her material had been tarnished or betrayed.
Wuthering Heights: A Romantic Musical at The Mint Theatre Space, 311 West 43rd Street
Tickets are $18; phone Ticket Central (212) 279-4200 or visit http://www.ticketcentral.com
Wednesdays through Fridays at 8:00 pm; Saturdays at 3:00 and 8:00 pm; Sundays at 3:00 pm