On Friday, Nov. 1, the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club opened their production of “Anastasia,” the perennial theater-kid favorite based on the 1997 Don Bluth animated movie and the 1956 Ingrid Bergman film, both of the same name. Despite being widely panned by critics, the original production enjoyed a two-year run on Broadway and a special place in the hearts of its fans.
The staying power of the musical comes from its moving score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, sung convincingly by this cast, specifically Caitlin Beirne’s Anya –– whose Disney Cruise ship experience as Cinderella was on full display in her ability to play sweet without becoming saccharine. A special mention must also be made of Justice Sirotek’s stirring rendition of “Stay I Pray You.” Typically a chore of a song that serves only to drag the run time out to its bloated 2 hours and 30 minutes, Sirotek’s performance proved to be one of the high points of the production.
Despite the best efforts of a passionate cast to mask the weakness of the book’s over writing, the ultimate result fell flat. Since the plot shatters upon any scrutiny, it requires a high budget that can bring dazzling costumes and luscious sets to lull the audience into acceptance. With budgetary restraints in mind –– an article in the Harvard Crimson from 2023 reported a 89% budget cut to the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club –– perhaps “Anastasia” was the wrong choice. Even with these constraints, the lack of ingenuity from a production team which included a costume designer, assistant costume designer, hair and makeup designer and dramaturg is disappointing.
The greatest problem inherent in the production was the inevitability of the cast’s youth. The rare moments when the source material manages to touch on something deeper are those which reference aging, regret and the weight of the crimes committed by ancestors. The old guard of the Russian aristocracy battling with their own regrets and pain of loved ones lost rang false on the faces of actors in their late teens and early twenties without the gravitas to allow the audience a suspension of disbelief. Each actor played their role as a budding young ingénue –– which worked well for the ingénues but was confusing for the rest of the cast.
The Harvard-Radcliffe Drama Club was faced with a surprisingly immense challenge with their choice of source material. Despite deft comedic moments and strong performances by many of the cast, there was simply not enough magic to make “Anastasia” the crowd-pleaser that it is intended to be.
Contact the editors responsible for this article: Norah Catlin, Ivy Buck
