Review: Cape Symphony brings '20s roaring to life with jazz, dance, silent film
The show: “The Roarin’ 20s,” written and conducted by Drew Zaremba and Kyle Gordon, performed by Cape Symphony, second show at 3 p.m. today.
What it's about: Guest conductors Zaremba and Gordon reminisce about the days of flappers and newfound freedoms in a show that offers new musical scores the Texas-based duo have written for the silent films of Charlie Chaplin’s “The Immigrant” and Buster Keaton’s “One Week.”
Also, Tatiana “LadyMay” Mayfield, also based in Texas where she began singing at 13, sings music of the time, including a sultry “It Had to Be You.” Dancers Adam Spencer and Angel Fox, of Adam in Chatham Studio, dance the Charleston, as well as a lively quickstep.
Highlights of the show: Silent film fans will likely enjoy the new scores by Zaremba and Gordon, which perfectly fit the movie action projected on three screens around the musicians.
In one section of Zaremba and Gordon’s score, the cellos and violins had a fun little “duel” in which they skittered at each other. In general, the music demands sounds – bleats and bops and zings – one does not often hear on the symphony’s stage. You may find yourself asking, “What (instrument) was that?!?”
Also, the Cape Symphony's artistic director Jung-Ho Pak, who ceded his baton to the visitors, still made a guest appearance as one of the people arrested with cocktail in hand during a raid in "SpeakEasy." It was just the right touch from Pak who works to keep the local symphony not only musically tuned but relevant and fun.
Go or No Go: It’s a fun show that will appeal especially to silent film fans. While the dramatic radio bit about Tarzan and Jane was good, it would have been nice to hear a few more 1920s’ jazz classics from the era that gave us The Dorsey Brothers’ “Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall in Love),” Fanny Brice’s “My Man” and Fats Waller’s 1929 version of “Ain’t Misbehavin.”
Worth noting: A whimsical bonus: while conducting (Zaremba in the first act, Gordon in the second) block a bit of the screen, making it seem as if they are an additional character or piece of scenery.
One more thing: Fox and Spencer dancing up a storm in a tiny strip of stage in front of the orchestra was invigorating and Lady May settled quickly into a warm, full tone that brought the music to life.
An interesting note: Gordon spent his 29th birthday on stage during Saturday’s Cape Cod opening night of the show he co-wrote.
If you go: Saturday night and 3 p.m. Sunday only, Barnstable Performing Arts Center, 744 West Main St., Hyannis, tickets, $32 to $72, capesymphony.org
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Review: Cape Symphony brings '20s roaring to life with jazz, dance, film
