One pianist and two actors are all that writer-director Jean-Lue Annaix needed to create a successfully simple yet entertaining musical at the Katzen Arts Center.
In "Heart's Accord," Jean-Paul Legrincheux (Fabrice Redor) spends his days spelling out his repugnance of the world and the human race. His tiresome, endless cursing moves his vocal chords, Elly (also played by Fabrice Redor) and Lisa (Christine Peyness), to leave him. The musical is performed in French with subtitles.
During his research of the human body for the musical, Annaix discovers that only two vocal chords of about 18 to 20 millimeters are responsible for the emission of sound. This means that when Elly and Lisa pack up and leave Jean-Paul's larynx, he is left speechless. But even when Jean-Paul is mute, this one-act musical is utterly vivacious and comical. It takes the audience in and out of Jean-Paul's larynx and back and forth to his house where he struggles to communicate with his wife, Arlette (also Christine Peyness).
The dark hollow of Jean-Paul's larynx is emulated through a black backdrop and dim lighting, and this minimalist approach is also evident in the costume design. When dressed as vocal chords, both actors dress in black pants and black sleeveless shirts topped with small funky bow ties. When portraying Jean-Paul and Arlette, they took off the bow ties and wore big fake ugly noses. As the plot develops, the two performers run around the stage getting out different stools, one white flat, hats, tap shoes and jackets to resemble various environments and characters.
There is no doubt that the performance is exhausting for Redo and Peyness. They not only exquisitely represent the characters but also sing and dance accordingly. A synchronized tap dance and synchronized demonstrations of how the vocal chords emit sounds echo the importance of being in harmony. Their performances kept the audience continuously laughing and tapping their feet.
Speaking without words is never easy but it seems second nature to Redo. His performance is especially solid during the scene where Elly and Lisa give Jean-Paul a chance to make amends before they leave and stop pronouncing the "p" and "q" sounds to show how important they are. Arlette cannot understand Jean-Paul, and it is here where the reading of subtitles for the non-French speaking audience gets a little challenging. However, Redo's facial expressions compensate for the loss of words and phrases in the translation. The movements, expressions and music are ornately coordinated, yet not overwhelming.
Music fills the air throughout the hour-and-a-half show. The acting and dancing skills are crowned with wide-ranging vocal fluctuations. After the chords' departure, Jean-Paul begins a search for a cure. Peyness then impersonates doctors, a psychiatrist and a policeman. Everyone mocks Jean-Paul as they all take pleasure in their vocal skills and exaggeratedly enunciate words. Peyness' voice is especially noteworthy as she represents the male characters. Her voice ebbs and flows from one note to another and from one style to another without breaking perfection.
"Heart's Accord" criticizes the communication breakdown between individuals, while actually establishing an interaction with the public. Elly and Lisa directly address the audience and descending with them into Jean-Paul's larynx is like entering an underground building, one that pulses at the heartbeat.
Pianist Pascal Vandenbulcke completes the atmosphere. Further enhancing their closeness, the four main personages interact with the pianist as well. Vandenbulcke's piano performance is lavish. He masterfully plays different music styles and promptly delivers the sound effects.
Director Annaix made the perfect choice when he kept music and effects acoustic. The acoustic resonance and coordinated interactions between actors and pianist continued to highlight the theme of accordance and harmony.
"Heart's Accord" left the audience in an introspective analysis of how they use the two tiny strings that allow every person to speak - but also of what it is that they say.
