Kurt Weill and the Cuttlefish Hotel

Reviewed by Julio Martinez
The Miles Playhouse
Through July 30

RECOMMENDED

The tunes coming from the Cuttlefish Hotel do not embody the ‘welcome home’ sentiment that one might expect. The 12 sad tunes from the ‘Weimar Republic’ (1919-1933) — following upon the nine million plus killed during World War I — are rather an expression of the extreme despondency of life during this time.

The relatively short evening fittingly begins and ends with Mack the Knife (Three Penny Opera), sung with jarring, in-your-face style by Shay Astar.  That the silent knife of Macheath (Paul Sand) will find its mark is never in question.  Since Astar is staring at you, there is no mistake who the intended victim is.

Such Paul Sand offerings as Morning Hymn, Song of the Insufficiency of Human Endeavor, Call from the Grave and In Which He Begs All Men For Forgiveness (all from Three Penny Opera) and the Sailor’s Tango (Shay Astor from Happy End) reflect the evening’s relentless negativity.  Celestial-voiced Megan Rippey actually imparts an angelic air (a beautiful four-part harmony provided by Astar, Amy White and Hope Easton) to two of the most menacing songs, Pirate Jenny and Barbara Song (Three Penny Opera). 

Each of the 12 numbers is staged as if it is the most important one of the evening, with credit given to the performer — who just might be shot once he or she leaves the stage. The two women in the show never leave the proscenium without casting an eye out for “Jack.” And Sol Mason treats every tune as if he is indeed the master of ceremonies of it all. Two of these were actually staged in the U.S. during the 1930s: Alabama Song (Mahagonny) and Surabaya Johnny (Happy End).

What gives the evening its power is the remarkable fusion of the instrumentals —a four-piece band consisting of Michael Roth (piano) Amy White (keyboard/vocal). Hope Easton (cello/vocal) and Tamboura Baptiste (violin) — with the onstage action. The Alabama Song is a display of amazing four-part harmony that literally sounds as if it’s coming from another dimension (thanks to Don Teschner’s sound design).  This is as genuine a presentation of Kurt Weill as can be found outside the Berliner Ensemble.  

Miles Playhouse, 1130 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica; Thu.-Sat., 8 p.m.; through July 30; (424) 372-76678 or  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kurt-weill-at-the-cuttlefish-hotel-tickets-25855503507?aff=eac2 or SantaMonicaPublicTheatre@gmail.com. Running time: 60 minutes with no intermission.