Lee Mikeska Gardner as Florence Foster Jenkins in ‘Souvenir: A Fantasia on the life of Florence Foster Jenkins’ at 1st Stage. Teresa Castracane/Courtesy of 1st Stage
Where and When
"Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins" at 1st Stage, 1524 Spring Hill Road, McLean. Performances now through March 2, 2014. Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m. & 8 p.m., and Sunday 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets: $22-$27; $15 for students and military. Information call 703-854-1856 or visit: www.1stStageTysons.…
With a masterful performance by Lee Mikeska Gardner, an eccentric woman is made thoroughly sympathetic, even noble in an exceptional production of "Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins" at 1st Stage in Tysons.
What could have been a cruel, campy dig at a now long-gone, off-key, real life heiress becomes a lovely, off-center, treasure under the direction of Jay D. Brock. The two-actor play and incidental music were written by Stephen Temperley.
"Souvenir" is seen through the eyes of Cosme McMoon, the musical accompanist of Mrs. Jenkins. The story line is about Jenkins, who "fancied herself a coloratura soprano but was in fact incapable of producing two consecutive notes in tune" as 1st Stage described her. Her actual concerts with pianist McMoon in the 1930s and '40s included a legendary appearance at Carnegie Hall in 1944. Over the dozen years that two were together, they became the talk of New York City. In their own way they became cult figures. They even cut records.
Gardner's performance as Florence Foster Jenkins has a golden sweetness to it. For some the fictional television character Edith Bunker may come to immediate memory. Gardner's work includes a manufactured, cringe worthy, screech of a singing voice. This is no easy feat. She acts totally unaware of her horrendous singing, no matter what the reaction of her on-stage partner or the real audience.
As played by Brian Keith MacDonald, McMoon is an understated chivalric, protector. He knows how badly Jenkins sings but comes to admire her drive to perform. He becomes smitten and loyal.
The jazz tune "Crazy Rhythm" is used often as a lovely framing devise as McMoon tells the story of his musical partnership with Jenkins. "Souvenir" has a minimalist set design by Mark Krikstan, with a grand piano at center stage. Costumes by Yvette M. Ryan are a feast for the eyes. The sheer number and quality of Gardner's outfits are a joy.
What Jenkins heard inside her own head, we will never know. But "Souvenir" is a mellow production, even with its comical portrait of a tone-deaf singer with lived her mantra “what matters most is the music you hear in your head.”
Playwright Temperley wrote, "the play explores the difference between the way we see ourselves and the way the rest of the world sees us." Yes, a diamond to see.