Josh Groban makes his Broadway debut in "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812." David Cote of Time Out New York filed the following review.
Can we forget about the Russia of email hacking and Crimea invading for a minute? Instead, let’s visualize the Russia of vodka, troikas, fancy balls and huge nineteenth-century novels. Yes, "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812" has made its triumphant journey from intimate Ars Nova to Broadway, and the result is pure theatrical magic.
Dave Malloy’s eclectic and irreverent musical, first seen in 2012, was inspired by about 70 pages of Tolstoy’s epic novel War and Peace. Surrounding the audience in a Russian supper-club vibe with actors and musicians racing around us, the show tells a story of innocence, cynicism and redemption during the Napoleonic Wars. Country aristocrat Natasha, played with sparkle and pluck by Denée Benton, is overwhelmed by the glamour of Moscow, and soon finds herself seduced by a handsome rake named Anatole. Josh Groban makes a forceful and passionate Broadway debut as the dissolute Pierre, frittering his life away with booze and bookish pretensions. Those are just the leads in an overall phenomenal cast. Dave Malloy’s vibrant score freely mashes up folk and rock, a mix of foot-stompers and heartbreaking indie-pop ballads. Rachel Chavkin’s breathless, immersive staging on Mimi Lien’s 360-degree set is a constant source of wonder. So raise your shot of vodka to Broadway’s next great musical.
One of the most thrilling Broadway musicals this decade, The Great Comet is intimate yet epic, ironic yet deeply felt, cosmic yet down to earth. It lights up the sky and our hearts.