From now until March 26th you can experience the magical musical based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden, at the Ahmanson Theatre.
The story, which has been reimagined many times before follows Mary Lennox (played brilliantly by Emily Jewel Hoder in this production) after her immediate family dies and she has to go live with her recluse uncle, Archibald Craven (played by the magnetic Derrick Davis). The intricate set designs, moving score and outstanding performances elevate this show to a level that will make you ask why you aren’t watching this in New York and on Broadway.
We can get through the bad quickly so we can get to the good, because I promise you that there’s so much good! Let’s talk about the hunchback! The show starts on a rocky start when they mention that Archibald has a hunchback but make no effort to actually have the actor have a hunchback. Unfortunately, it’s a fact that you do find yourself wondering about as the show proceeds. The pacing loses focus a couple of times throughout and though the score tries to help it along, the lull is felt several times. The set design helps amplify the gloomy and haunting essence of the show. The set is minimalist yet adds dimension to the story; you won’t need to use too much imagination to picture the world that the musical exists in. The use of light, wind and sometimes water adds to the magical essence of the show. Unfortunately, as we near the end of the second act, the set design left me wanting more. I was hoping we would get a full sense of the beauty of the garden. I wanted fields of roses and though I understand that it’s not the easiest thing to portray on stage, I still found myself yearning for more.
So sure, there’s a small issue with the pacing and the set design loses it’s magic by the later part of second act; but it’s the cast of powerhouses that make this show absolutely worth it. Sierra Boggess plays a heavenly Lily Craven, with the help from costume designer Ann Could-Ward, she moves around the stage in dresses that almost make you believe she is floating the entire time. Julia Lester as Martha brings the necessary levity to a show that is so focused on grief and the ache of growing up too quickly. Her solo, “Hold On” is powerful, moving and a necessary listen. Derrick Davis’ Archibald has a presence that won’t easily be ignored. His voice helps amplify every emotion in his songs and I just kept wanting more singing from him. Could someone actually get me on the phone with him? I suddenly have a very strong urge to see him on stage in Les Misérables as Jean Valjean. This is Emily Jewel Hoder’s world and we’re all just living in it. Her Mary Lennox is perfectly sassy and sweetly vulnerable, she threads the line between the two throughout the entire show. Her voice is full of child-like wonder and her presence feels gigantic when you watch her on that stage.
As a whole The Secret Garden is a fun night at the theater. It’s perfect for a family night and can also be great if you don’t mind openly crying in a room full of strangers. Do yourself a favor and make some room in your schedule to watch this show.
The Secret Garden is now playing at the Ahmanson Theatre through March 26, 2023. Tickets are on sale now and start at $40. They will be available through CenterTheatreGroup.org, Audience Services at (213) 972-4400 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Offices (at the Ahmanson Theatre) at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012. Performances run Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
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