She Loves Me 

Reviewed by Dana Martin
Actors Co-op
Through December 16 

Actors Co-op travels back in time with their latest production, She Loves Me, a fluffy musical adaptation of Hungarian playwright Miklós László’s 1937 play, Parfumerie. The award-winning 1960’s musical, with a book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Hartnick, is a timeworn comedy about workplace drama and amour.

Budapest, Hungary, 1934, and Mr. Maraczek’s (Greg Martin) perfume business is booming. Enter Amalia Balash (Claire Adams), a precocious young woman who unconventionally lands a job at the store, much to the dismay of longtime clerk Georg Nowack (Kevin Shewey). A fiery and flirtatious love-hate rivalry ensues. In her spare time, Amalia keeps correspondence with a pen pal upon whom she projects her romantic fantasies, though she has yet to meet him in person. There are several distracting side plots, including a casual suicide attempt. The main love story doesn’t resolve until literally moments before the play ends.

The cast rises to the challenge of a wordy and difficult musical score. Claire Adams, a sweet soprano with a fiery persona, makes a satisfying Amalia. She’s as vulnerable as she is assertive and she’s adorably naive. Kevin Shewey’s Nowack is earnest, though often vocally and physically strained. Avrielle Corti has loads of fun as coquettish and self-possessed co-worker Ilona Ritter. As slimy Steven Kodaly, Darren Bluestone makes a fine antagonist. Bluestone’s vocals are dreamy and his exit song “Grand Knowing You” is one of the evening’s highlights. But the ensemble has difficulty establishing distinctly authentic characters. The performers don’t seem to be paying much attention to one another. It’s less an ensemble, more a group of individual singers.

The orchestra, conducted by the production’s musical director Anthony Lucca, is shrouded by a curtain at the back of the stage. Though unseen, they deliver. Director/choreographer Cate Caplin provides movement that complements the actors’ abilities while managing to organize a large-scale musical in a small space. Michael Mullen’s costume design is bright and dapper. Lighting design by Luke Moyer is adequate. Set designer Stephen Gifford creates a multi-functional set that serves the play’s many locations.

The musical’s saccharine exterior belies its more serious subject matter. It’s strangely bright considering it involves attempted suicide, infidelity and workplace politics. Everything is treated in sitcom style. The characters are unwaveringly optimistic about love, despite their heartbreak and loss. Still, it’s a classic, old-school musical, and its current incarnation at Actor’s Co-op offers plenty of charm, though comes up short on authenticity.

David Schall Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St., Hollywood; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.; through Dec. 16. (323) 462-8460 or actorsco-op.org. Running time: 2 hours and 7 minutes with one intermission.