New York Review: The Cradle Will Rock, a Depression-Era Operetta That Creaks With Age
“Oh the press, the press, the freedom of the press They’ll never take away the freedom of the press! We must be free to say whatever’s on our chest For whichever side will pay the best!”His wife, Mrs. Mister (a lively Sally Ann Triplett) is a patron of the arts and the faith community. She meets with Reverend Salvation (Benjamin Eakeley) to give him her monthly gift, discuss steel prices and ask him to pray to “keep us out of war.” And he responds, “as your shepherd, I implore / turn from thoughts of wicked war / war we do abhor.” At the Misters’ home, Junior Mister (Eddie Cooper) and Sister Mister (Kara Mikula) celebrate being rich in a frisky song and dance number. They’re among the strongest members of the cast. And Lara Pulver as Sadie (and the Moll) delivers a lovely version of a blues song, ”Nickel Under the Foot.” The story concludes with the hero and union organizer, Larry Foreman (Tony Yazbeck) defying Mr. Mister and the Liberty Committee and reprising the anthem, “The Cradle Will Rock.” “There’s a storm that’s going to last until / The final wind blows … and when the wind blows … / The cradle will rock.” The Cradle Will Rock continues through May 18 at Classic Stage Company, 136 E. 13th St., a few blocks from Union Square. Tickets and info here. Specializing in classic theater, CSC makes its home in an old building in the East Village, fronted by a lobby/expresso café. Did you enjoy this post? Please consider supporting Third Coast Review’s arts and culture coverage by becoming a patron. Choose the amount that works best for you, and know how much we appreciate your support!
Nancy S Bishop
Nancy S. Bishop is publisher and Stages editor of Third Coast Review. She’s a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and a 2014 Fellow of the National Critics Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. You can read her personal writing on pop culture at nancybishopsjournal.com, and follow her on Twitter @nsbishop. She also writes about film, books, art, architecture and design.