By Kimberly Rau
The second show in Gamm’s season is Peter Shaffer’s “Amadeus,” a beautifully written play about how jealousy, morality and devotion can shape both life and art.
Directed by Tony Estrella, “Amadeus,” is a fictionalized account of the famous rivalry between composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri. You may be more familiar with one name than the other. That’s the whole point.
Picture it: Vienna, late 18th century. Salieri has dedicated his life to music and using his art to glorify God. He is circumspect with his music students, deferential to the emperor, and, always, worshipful, having promised God piety as a young boy in exchange for just enough fame to be financially secure and happy. Mission accomplished.
Enter Mozart, younger, louder, more vulgar…and infinitely more talented. And even though Salieri seems to be the only one to recognize that, the rest of the court deeming his work too complicated and thematically common, it’s not enough. The mere presence of Mozart’s genius sets Salieri on a path of destruction. He’s determined to ruin Mozart, even though Mozart seems to need no help in that area. Salieri knows one day someone else will see Mozart’s genius, at which point he’s done for, so he sets out to thwart the young composer at every opportunity.
Salieri grows more and more famous throughout Vienna, which confuses Mozart, who knows his work is superior. Meanwhile, he can’t even get a good roster of music students, though whether that’s due to his tendency to bed them or Salieri’s smear campaign is debatable.
And, as we all know, Mozart dies penniless and without recognition, buried in an unmarked mass grave, his widow selling off his compositions to pay the bills. Ironically, it’s this last action that catapults him to posthumous fame, which Salieri is unlucky enough to live to see. Mozart may have died without riches, but Salieri ends up alone in his embroidered robes, with only a listless rumor mill to keep his name alive.
A play about two composers would be nothing without music, and “Amadeus” is full of excerpts from some of the best classical music pieces from the 18th and early 19th centuries, impressively executed by Judith Lynn Stillman, who remains on stage at the piano for the entire show. These interludes are accented by the cast acting as a choir and musical ensemble when needed, which includes a couple of particularly impressive passes at Mozart’s requiems.
Steve Kidd plays Salieri, a brooding, melodramatic man who is convinced God has betrayed him when someone more talented shows up. Kidd is a wonderful choice for this role, honing in on the moments where Salieri’s character can be amped up for maximum effect. Salieri’s main personality trait is his moral goodness, and watching Kidd slowly break down as more and more of that wears away is masterful.
On the opposite side of the coin, we have Mozart, a hedonistic, silly man obsessed with sex, music, women, a good fart joke and, of course, sex and music. Where Salieri is slumped in a chair, nursing a rich dessert, Mozart is literally rolling across the floor with the current object of his affections. Michael Liebhouser, another Gamm favorite, plays this role to the hilt. His joy is contagious, making, of course, his downfall all the more heartbreaking. Liebhouser and Kidd, both excellent actors, are magnificent together.
Other notable roles include Alison Russo as Constanze, Mozart’s far too understanding wife; Casey Seymour Kim as the Austrian emperor; and Helena Tafuri and John Cormier as Salieri’s two men on the ground, responsible for bringing gossip back to the composer.
The set by Jessica Hill Kidd is simple but elegant. The costumes, designed by Mikayla Reid, could be an entire review unto themselves. They are lavish and exceptionally detailed, the kinds of things you wish anyone still had occasion to wear. Though the show runs nearly three hours including intermission, it moves quickly, and truly, this is a full show without a wasted moment. A production that boasts a solid script, talented, thoughtful director and a strong cast is bound to be good, and “Amadeus” is that and then some.
The Gamm stakes its reputation on thoughtful, well-done theater, and “Amadeus” is no exception. See this striking piece before it closes.
“Amadeus” runs through Dec. 1, 2024, at the Gamm Theatre, 1245 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick. Tickets may be obtained at the box office, online at gammtheatre.org or by calling 401-723-4266.
