A “Barroom Operetta” is how “The Best of Hank and Rita” is billed.
A barroom operetta. How would you approach that, exactly? Expecting belly laughs and raucous, maybe raunchy humor?
I didn’t read much about it beyond the P.R. postcard. I knew that I wanted to see this show because Ann Fee and Joe Tougas, a musical duo known locally as “The Frye,” would make this too good to miss. Neither one does art half-assed, and I knew this would be good.
But this–this show–this barroom operetta–exceeded every possible conception I had about it. This is theater at its finest–maybe I even dare to say perfection.
Joe and Ann play a couple who has been on the road, performing country music for their entire life together. Rita lets us know before she’s even shown up on stage that she’s had enough, that their musical and life harmony is over. Done. Hank doesn’t know that, but they’re going to play one last show together. And the audience for the one last show is us.
Us. the audience. We know what Hank doesn’t know. Dramatic irony. We grow more and more uncomfortable as the couple uses songs they’ve written and performed over the years to tell the story of their love–and fights, and unfaithfulness, forgiveness…the list goes on.
As Hank sets out the play list for the night, Rita balks. She doesn’t want to sing the romantic tunes Hank has picked. So she retaliates with heartbreak choices Hank tries to refuse, but Rita won’t let him off the hook. This goes on, and it’s as uncomfortable as being at dinner with a couple who’s feuding but trying to put on a good front. Worse, maybe. Because Hank and Rita have a show to put on, and the show must go on, no matter what they’re feeling. And we feel all of that with them. Every bit.
Ann–as Rita–has a face that reads like a novel on stage. I think that if I couldn’t hear the words, I might have been able to follow the story just from watching her face. And Rita the performer shines her practiced performer’s smile over the audience, trying to mask the pain inside. We, who know what’s going on inside her, see her smile as a mask. It’s not Ann Fee’s smile. It’s Rita’s performer smile. Amazing acting.
The final twists in the story–not just one but two–send us reeling. We didn’t know what was going on all along. And the discomfort we felt for the two characters quadruples. And so does the way their story hits us where it hurts, and where we all are human.
And that’s just the story. The music is nearly unbelievably perfect. Joe wrote eleven new songs for this operetta. We all know Joe can write, but these songs nail the relationship of Rita and Hank. And Ann’s sultry voice, turned country for the night, blends with Joe’s in a way that makes the lyrics vibrant, haunting.
Musical theater can sometimes be a mismatch of timing and songs that fill space or only echo what’s been said without really adding to the plot. Not true here. It’s seamless. A breath-holding night, where we can’t wait to hear what message will flow through the next song.
I didn’t want the evening to end. Time flew past, and I couldn’t believe it was over. The ending is so haunting that the audience sat in stunned silence for long seconds before we broke into applause.
This is a must-see. All performances in Mankato sold out. You’ve still got a chance to see them in New Ulm, Bryant Lake Bowl, and Duluth. Don’t miss it. I’m driving north, because I am absolutely, positively seeing this again. Maybe more than once.
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