"Randy Newman's Faust: The Concert," The Soraya, Northridge, Calif., Sept. 28 – 29, 2024
Oct. 5, 2024 | By Bruce R. Feldman
In Brief: The Soraya opened its new season with a rousing concert version of Randy Newman’s ambitious, little seen musical satire, Faust. While the performances and musicianship were impressive, the work itself remains something of an enjoyable novelty rather than a completely satisfying artistic achievement.
Javier Muñoz as The Lord in "Randy Newman's Faust: The Concert" at the Soraya
Newman’s good vs. evil tale takes place in Heaven and Hell, of course, and also in South Bend, Indiana where Henry Faust (Ryan McCartan) attends Notre Dame University. Young Faust is both callow and shallow, more interested in having a good time than hitting the books.
In a clever twist, the Devil (a delicious Reeve Carney) and the Lord (a divine Javier Muñoz) are presented as friendly rivals who meet periodically for casual chit chat and kvetching. It’s in one such discussion that the Devil and God make a bet for Faust’s soul.
The Devil pulls out all the stops to tempt Henry. Eventually he succeeds and then, redemption for Faust and Margaret (Joanna Lynn-Jacobs), the compassionate, loving woman he jilted for the self-absorbed Martha (Veronica Swift).
Reeve Carney is the Devil in "Randy Newman's Faust: The Concert" at the Soraya
(But not to worry about Martha. She sells stolen jewelry to retire to Costa Rica, a plot development that neither Marlowe or Goethe certainly could have imagined.)
Because this is a concert and not the book musical Newman envisioned when he wrote it 30 years ago, there’s helpful, often snarky narration by Jordan Temple, who also updated the text from the original to include current references to Sean “Diddy” Combs and more.
McCartan as Faust and the two female leads are fine, though it’s Carney and Munoz who really shine. Both are powerful performers, alternately charismatic or disarming as the material requires, but always compelling and enormously appealing.
The nine-piece band, led by Michael Roth, is strong. And there’s an exhilarating choir that adds considerable energy to many of the songs, starting with Newman’s soulful opening number “Pass On Over/Glory Train.”
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The show ends on an equally high note with Reeve's adrenaline-charged "Happy Ending," in which the Devil reveals that he is moving to Las Vegas.
The story of the young scholar who made a pact with the Devil for infinite knowledge and worldly pleasures has inspired countless generations of novelists, poets, and playwrights.
Newman is known over a long career for his catchy pop riffs, playful lyrics, and, as a performer, for his impish personality, so it’s no surprise that, despite good intentions and a terrific score, his version of the Faust legend feels glibber than the more famous retellings.
"Randy Newman's Faust: The Concert," Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, CA 91330-8448, (818) 677-8800, thesoraya.org
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