Sometimes, as we walk to our car after a performance at North Coast Rep, we’re shocked to remember that we just came out of a local theater in a shopping center in the suburbs of San Diego rather than Times Square because the show was that good.
That’s how we felt after seeing Amadeus, the opening show of North Coast Rep’s 38th season, last night.
Director Richard Baird’s Amadeus is outstanding, with a knock-out performance by Tony Amendola as Antonio Salieri, the Mozart wanna-be who narrates the show. Amendola lives up to his first name and would likely win a Tony award if he was doing this on Broadway.
Amadeus, written by Peter Schaffer, is such a juicy, timeless story, and it feels especially relevant in this age of social media because it’s all about envy.
The show begins on what Salieri, who is old and confined to a wheelchair, says is the last night of his life. He claims that he may have been responsible for the premature death of Mozart, and he proceeds to tell the story through flashbacks.
It’s 18th century Vienna, and Salieri is the court composer, writing music that pleases his audience. All is well until a young prodigy, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, enters the scene.
The flamboyant Mozart has the behavior and manners of a toddler but the talent of a genius. Every time Salieri hears his music, he goes crazy with envy. Why can’t he write like that? Why has God, to whom he prays constantly, forsaken him? Why did he bless this ridiculous child with all of that skill instead?
The whole ensemble is excellent, and Rafael Goldstein captures Mozart’s childish innocence perfectly, prancing around in his garish clothes and clown-like hair.
But this is Salieri’s show. It’s his emotions, his actions that fuel the events. All he wants is to be able to compose music like the brilliant Mozart.
So, how devastating and appropriate that, in the end, even his own story is named after his rival.
Amadeus has been extended until October 6. To buy tickets, visit the North Coast Rep website.
All photos by Aaron Rumley
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