This production is a deeply moving theatrical experience that encompasses lyrical genius, Bob Dylan. with the pathos of American life during the Great Depression. Girl From The North Country weaves together Dylan’s songs with an original storyline and delivers an emotional journey that captivates its audience from the first note to the last.
The story takes place in a boarding house in Duluth, Minnesota. Centering around the lives of a group of individuals struggling to make it through the Great Depression, in 1934. The boarding house run by Nick Laine (John Sciappa), is occupied by a variety of characters, each coming to terms with their personal traumas and broken dreams. Nick’s wife, Elizabeth Laine (Jennifer Blood), is suffering from early-onset dementia, but balances moments of vulnerability with bursts of sharp, quick-witted humorous clarity. Their son, Gene Laine played by Gene Biggers is a would-be writer who seems to have premature signs of alcohol addiction alcohol. Gene does a great job of balancing the gentleness and quick-temperament of the character. Their adopted daughter, Marianne Laine played by Sharae Moultrie is a 19-year-old, unwed soon to be mother and ostracized by everyone in the town and society all together.
“Girl From the North Country” is not your traditional musical, the way Dylan’s songs are integrated into the storytelling is more like plot devices, the songs seem to serve as a timestamp in the fast paced moments within the boarding house. Every selection is a peak into the characters’ inner worlds and deepest emotions. Dylan’s music is often full of melancholy and reflects the current issues of the world, which was the perfect soundtrack for these Depression-era characters. Their lives are marked by uncertainty, poverty, and dashed hopes. Selections such as “Went to See the Gypsy,” “Slow Train,” and “Sign on the Window” are not just legendary songs but stories that pull at your emotions and force you to discover and think. All songs were delivered with such conviction by all the cast members that the viewer’s experience is no doubt felt far beyond the stage.
The production has excellent staging and a simplified design. The set is a boarding house with creaky floors and peeling wallpaper and displays a sense of decay and desolation, sort of like the residents that occupy the house. Often muted but soft lighting is cast with long shadows that add to the show’s ethereal quality and the moments where the ensemble share in a musical selection.
The live band on stage provides a nice undertone for every moment within the production, staying true to Dylan’s folk roots there is a harmonica, piano, and a violin. The instruments fit seamlessly into the narrative, adding a sense of nostalgia and highlighting key moments. Dylan’s songs are often stripped down to their bare essence, allowing the lyrics to shine which doesn’t call for an over saturation of instruments.
Even with heavy subject matter, “Girl From the North Country” is not without its moments of levity. McPherson’s script provided dark humor and absurdity where the situation may call for emotional pain. The play could easily be lost in a monotone whirlwind but provides shifts in tone throughout each scene. Each transition is handled with skill, ensuring that one doesn’t overpower the other.
The production feels more like visual poetry, than a traditional narrative-driven show. Depending on one’s expectations, the pacing is either perfect for a slow-burn that encapsulates the emotion of each character or it may not be perfect because it does not have the conventional plot-arc. “Girl From the North Country” may feel meandering, as it prioritizes mood. BUT! There is a glimmer of light, if you’re willing to surrender yourself to the lives of Tye’s characters, it offers a rewarding journey through the human condition.
“Girl From the North Country” at Blumenthal Performing Arts is a must-see, especially if you’re a fan of Dylan’s music and have a certain fondness for theatre. This play pushes boundaries and mixes the hope of tomorrow with the willfulness of today. It resonates long after the curtain falls, which is the whole point of Bob Dylan’s music, right? Each character leaves a mark on the heart and will have the viewer leaving and comparing the time of then and the time of now.
