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This overhaul of Leonard Bernstein’s 1956 operetta just might be “the best of all possible Candides,” said Steven Oxman in Variety. Rejecting previous books by Lillian Hellman and Hugh Wheeler, director Mary Zimmerman has “adapted Voltaire’s satirical novella from scratch,” hewing closely to the 18th-century French author’s scathing “satire on optimism” while allowing it to slyly allude to current political and economic upheavals. The young protagonist’s “fanciful tales” about his disillusioning journey have here been transformed into “thoughtful, accessible theatrical narratives” that are “gorgeously staged.” Bernstein’s much-loved score remains intact, with such tunes as “Glitter and Be Gay” coming across as more “dramatic and layered” than they’ve seemed in previous stagings.
Zimmerman’s adaptation does include a few “uncooked parts,” said Kris Vire in Time Out Chicago. The new libretto is “too heavy on narration,” even though Zimmerman divides it among the 19-person cast rather than leaving it all up to Candide’s buffoonish tutor, Pangloss. There’s simply “too much exposition about Candide’s Forrest Gump–like stumbles through historical events.” Still, Zimmerman has assembled a stellar cast. Geoff Packard “makes a relatable, just-credulous-enough Candide,” and Lauren Molina displays a fine voice as Candide’s resilient love interest, Cunégonde. The production could use a few tweaks, but it’s “winning on the whole.” Despite the small flaws, “Voltaire’s satire of religious and government institutions rings loud and clear.”
