with its not so happily ever after second act, The Fantasticks speaks eloquently on the subject of reality versus fantasy. As the Boy goes off in search of romance and adventure and the Girl sees El Gallo as her new romantic leading man, it becomes painfully clear to the audience and eventually to the characters themselves, that life has much more in store than simply “happy endings.”Sitting in the Sullivan Street Playhouse and knowing of the legendary history of this production of The Fantasticks, I found myself wondering why? What was there about this production, about this play that has attracted audiences for the past 35 years? I wouldn’t presume to offer any kind of a definitive conclusion, but I do believe much of this production’s appeal lies in its deceptively simple staging and pure theatricality. Much of the enjoyment derived from watching this production, (and judging by the other faces in the crowd, there was indeed much enjoyment) seems to stem from a kind of inherent appreciation for good storytelling. Children and adults alike revel in a well-told tale. And as the Narrator begins this story with “Once upon a time there was a Boy and a Girl,” we are ushered into a world of romance and fantasy, but like any good story it contains bits of truth and reality and lessons to be learned. The Narrator tells his story. The actors play their parts. The music plays and the story unfolds simply, beautifully. This production works so well because it knows its own strengths, namely to keep it simple. Why trot out a realistic wall, when an actor with a small cane can serve to separate our two young lovers? What kind of wall would you have anyway? Maybe I see a great block wall 12 feet tall and you see a smallish, New England rock wall (“Good fences make good neighbors”)? Do I need an entire stage of falling snow, dramatic shadowy lighting and sound effects, or can I simply wat...
