Bea Corley as Mary Lennox and Charlie Franklin as Dickon in The Secret Garden at The 5th Avenue Theatre
Photo courtesy of Tracy Martin
The 5th Avenue Theatre’s Broadway-bound revival of The Secret Garden is a musical with a capital M. Of course, all of the theater’s offerings are musicals, but this one is almost entirely driven by the songs. If your kids like music, they’ll love it.
Although none of the musical numbers are especially memorable, they’re all beautifully rendered. My 12-year-old companion, Logan, and I especially liked the pure, ethereal voice of Lizzie Klemperer as the ghost of Lily and the lively, Celtic-hued singing and dancing of the rustic Dickon.
Logan’s favorite parts, though, were the action and dialogue, especially the meeting of the orphan girl Mary and her invalid cousin Colin. They’re both nasty, spoiled children and the sparring of these talented young actor/singers is fun. They have a reason for their ill-humor, as both have been mistreated by adults, and they earn our sympathy as they come into themselves and discover their strengths.
If you haven’t read Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1910 beloved classic, "The Secret Garden", I advise reviewing a synopsis before you go because the 5th Avenue program gives little detail. Mary Lennox is a largely-ignored child when her parents in India suddenly die of cholera, and she is sent to live with her only living relative, the reclusive Archibald Craven in Yorkshire. She hasn’t been given a chance to mourn her parents; he hasn’t recovered from the death of his beloved wife Lily 10 years ago. They’re both examples of how not to deal with grief by shutting everyone out. Mary’s sharp tongue makes us wince and laugh at the same time.
Mary hears crying somewhere in the sprawling Gothic mansion but is forbidden to roam the halls. She is sent outside to play, and there meets the friendly Dickon and the old gardener, and eventually, finds her way into Lily’s “secret garden” that Archibald locked up. She finally finds the bedridden Colin, the source of the crying, who has been coddled and weakened and told he could die at any time by his overbearing doctor/uncle. She and Dickon and the kindly servant Martha sneak him outside in his wheelchair and encourage him to help them restore the neglected garden. Of course, his legs strengthen, and he is able to surprise his father with his ability to walk – a development Logan found far too predictable.
All around the action and the cleverly shifting sets of house and garden are the spirits of Lily and of Mary’s parents, friends and Indian servants. They’re dressed in sparkling white and are not in the least scary. The musical is recommended for children 7 and older and younger children might find the ghosts and the plot confusing – the 6-year-old girl next to us had no idea they were spirits. The only truly disturbing part would be the initial death of the family, guests and servants in India; Logan gasped and asked, “Are they all dead?”
The lesson of the musical is that nature and friendship will slowly assuage grief, and it’s delivered without any heavy-handed preaching. Indeed, it is borne along charmingly on a song (or many songs) and a dance.
If You Go
Where: 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 5th Ave., downtown Seattle
When: Through May 6. Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 and 7 p.m.
Cost: $29 and up; $9.50 additional charge for phone and web orders.
Age recommendation: 7 and older; children younger than 4 and babes in arms not admitted. Running time over 2 hours, plus half hour intermission.
Parking: Easiest parking is in the Olympic Hotel Garage, one block south and on the other side of 5th Avenue from the theater; evening rate $10.
Contact: 206-625-1900; www.5thavenue.org.
