The most tantalizing aspect of the Off-Broadway hit Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 is that everything about it is unexpected. Even its venue: a tent in the heart of Broadway’s Theatre District seems to appear out of nowhere and simply morph into a Russian supper club as you wend your way from the street to your table. And without an iota of rationalization, you are caught between two worlds – one involving neighboring tables filled with awed theatregoers and Russian food and drink, and another structured around music, literary characters reimagined, traditional 19th-century attire laced with contemporary Steampunk props and costumes. The walls – and there are lots of them – are a collage of framed vintage photos, paintings, clocks, mirrors, and whatnots. And the performers are irresistible as they create intensely compelling relationships plucked from the pages of Tolstoy’s War and Peace.
Photo: Chad Batka
Bottom line, this is a one-of-a-kind production that will pull you into the action and haunt you long after the evening has passed. Which is why, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 has been selling-out regularly – and why I’ve lost count of just how many times it has been extended. The just posted closing date is March 3rd.
Still I wouldn’t gamble on it being around forever so I’d advise reserving your tickets now.