The romantic yet heartbreaking story of Noah and Allie is one familiar to millions of fans of Nicholas Sparks’ beloved novel and the subsequent smash hit film starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Now, “The Notebook” has reached its next chapter with a musical adaptation taking the Broadway stage. With more and more musicals being adapted from cherished films only to under-deliver once on the stage, it’s easy to be skeptical of a production such as this. Fortunately, “The Notebook” doesn’t seem to fall into that trap. At least, not completely.
The show has been carefully crafted by its production team to serve one purpose: to become a smash hit. It’s evident in every aspect of the design from the gasp-inducing water features to the ear-wormy songs. It is a near-perfect show for the audience it intends to receive, but that doesn’t mean it’s flawless. It is clear in Ingrid Michaelson’s score that a certain level of depth was avoided to make the songs more palatable to mass audiences. Certain lyrics feel strangely juvenile and repetitive in an attempt to make them “catchy,” like in “Kiss Me” and “If This Is Love.” However, these issues can only be heard a few times throughout the show. It wouldn’t be a problem at all if certain songs such as “I Wanna Go Back,” a song showcasing the heartbreaking effects of dementia on Allie’s life as she desperately attempts to recover her memories, weren’t there to showcase how powerful Michaelson’s writing can be.
The scenic design, co-created by David Zinn and Brett J. Banakis, was a pleasant surprise. Incorporating a pond directly into the stage for Allie and Noah to wade and play in felt like a nice departure from the minimalist style that has plagued so many recent productions, even if at times the water effects seem to be overused. Even the set for the house, which admittedly is a bit minimal, fits so perfectly into the design of the stage as a whole that it feels like its own character.
The roles of Noah and Allie are split into three roles to span the entire lives of the characters. While all six of the principal actors are wonderful in their roles, Maryann Plunkett as “Older Allie” steals the show every second she’s onstage. Her portrayal of Alzheimer’s disease feels so honest it can be difficult to watch at times. The times when the show works the best aren’t in the iconic moments that everyone anticipates but in the raw, unexpected moments that Maryann creates through Allie. Those are the moments that bring the audience to tears.
All in all, “The Notebook” has all the potential to be Broadway’s next smash. With a story that feels familiar enough to satisfy its fans yet unique enough to defend its existence against other “cash grab” adaptations, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see “The Notebook” still running five years from now.
“The Notebook” is currently running at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.
SCORE: 8.5/10
