University of Virginia Library

'1776': Laughter And Parallels

Corbin Eissler
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

The major conclusion one can
reach about 1776 is that it is a
thoroughly enjoyable musical. That
statement, considering that the
main purpose of any musical is to
entertain, is high praise, and 1776
deserves it.

I first saw the musical in New
York and again on Monday night as
part of the Artist Series of The
University. Most viewers probably
enter this show fully prepared to
sneer at any old stereotypes along
the lines of see Ben Franklin
bumble.

But it is the very familiarity of
the subject matter that gives the
play its particular comic strength. A
large part of the humor is based on
the familiar, funny in that one can
laugh at the human weaknesses in
figures comfortable and common to
almost anyone in this country. The
sex life of Jefferson, the sectional
differences between Boston and
Virginia, a gentle satire of (drum
roll) G. Washington are bound to be
amusing in direct proportion to the
security of the idealized targets
they play at with a kind of pride

It's To Laugh

1776 tries at times to not only
laugh at its humanized stereotypes,
but to draw, parallels with today's
situation. John Adams is an agitator
against the propertied exponents of
the status quo, slavery is an
institution in which all share a
common guilt; but luckily this
effort toward topicality is lightly
treated.

There is no real attempt to make
any meaning full social comment,
and the applications to the present
lie more in a common cultural
history then any direct parallel.
This allows the show to be basically
light hearted and funny, as it must
be, without any heavy handed
relevancy.

Pleasant Music

The music of 1776 is pleasant
enough, but not especially
noteworthy and far too topical to
ever stand on its own outside of the
show. The production, produced by
Stuart Ostrow, was very good and
surprisingly close to the original
form done in New York. The acting
was also fairly good, with special
praise deserved by Don Perkins,
whose John Adams was mature and
Bostonian enough to carry the
major role. Paul Tripp was adequate
as Ben Franklin, although he lacked
a certain calm benevolence that the
role demands.

In conclusion the production
was a well done version of a very
funny and enjoyable musical.
University Hall is far from an ideal
place to see anything but a
basketball game, but in this case
most of the echoes were from
laughter.