You know you're at a great play when you start to look forward to seeing it again. The CB's experienced such a show this weekend when we saw the musical She Loves Me playing through June 15th at the Huntington Theatre in Boston. Based on the Hungarian play, Parfumerie, which inspired the 1940 film The Shop Around the Corner and Nora Ephron's 1998 remake You've Got Mail, the show focuses on Georg and Amalia, two feuding shop clerks who fall into a letter writing romance, each unaware that his/her pen pal works within arm's reach.
Brooks Ashmanskas, as Georg, is perfectly cast--he has a teddy-bear Nathan Lane quality to him that is completely charming. When he breaks into dance and song, his comical physicality balanced by his innocent earnestness makes it hard to take your eyes off him. As Amalia, Kate Baldwin, is also perfect. She is in complete control of her beautiful soprano voice, and she also manages to balance a "modern" working woman's strength with great comedic timing and a sweet sense of vulnerability. The supporting cast is just as strong, the music is memorable, the live orchestra is great (and it's fun to see them on stage, above all the action), the costumes are gorgeous, the choreography is innovative, and the sets are perfect.All in all, She Loves Me is a Broadway-worthy musical, and we were happy to read that after the Boston run, it will be transfering to the Williamstown Theatre Festival from June 27-July 12. We can't wait that long, though--we're going to see it again on Wednesday night! We urge you to do the same if you live in the Boston area or if you are within reach of the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
