Love Life
Love Life is a revival of a groundbreaking classic—the sole collaboration between Kurt Weill and Alan Jay Lerner—that forever altered the course of musical theater. Originally debuting on Broadway in 1948 and rarely revived since, this influential work now returns to New York City Center with a blend of timeless charm and audacious innovation.
Set over 300 years, the play follows four immortal characters—the devoted father Samuel Cooper (delightfully portrayed by Brian Stokes Mitchell, whose Curly-from-Oklahoma! style is both delightful to hear and watch), his steadfast wife Susan Cooper (Kate Baldwin), and their two children, a boy and a girl. In Act 1, Samuel begins his journey as a humble craftsman in a small settlement. Soon, he is promoted to oversee a cadre of artisans—a shift that mirrors the rapid onset of industrialization. As time races on, his career evolves from that of a skilled craftsman and manager to a broader role in "general business," where the pursuit of profit increasingly erodes his time at home. This swift transformation, made possible by the couple's immortality, sets the stage for profound changes in their family life.
The production opens with a delightful vaudevillian twist: the two children, dressed as mischievous magicians, pluck the unsuspecting parents from the audience, setting a playful tone that carries throughout the evening. Act 1 explores the simple joys of early domestic life and the gradual intrusion of industrial progress and money into personal relationships. It reaches a dramatic peak during a New Year’s Eve cruise in 1928—just before the stock market crash—when Susan, feeling neglected and even courted by another, nearly abandons her marriage, only to be pulled back by a bar fight and Samuel’s desperate intervention.
Act 2 plunges into the inevitable: separation and divorce. As the Cooper family’s immortal love unravels, the narrative takes on a surreal, dreamlike quality with meta-retrospectives and trippy sequences—sparked by the consumption of “rainbow syrup” reminiscent of the psychedelic interludes in HAIR. What begins as a bittersweet examination of the toll of industrial progress and the relentless chase for money transforms into a disjointed, overlong exploration of loneliness and the elusive search for the perfect partner.
While Love Life boasts sensible, period-appropriate costumes and a surprisingly large, energetic cast, its fast-paced, sometimes repetitive songs (delivered with infectious charm by Mitchell) and the heavy-handed exposition reminiscent of older musicals can wear thin. Act 1 earns a respectable B– for its poignant depiction of how progress—both industrial and personal—can slowly corrode the simple pleasures of home life, whereas Act 2 falters with a D due to its overindulgent, muddled finale.
In sum, Love Life is a fascinating, ambitious journey through 300 years of immortal existence—a deeply influential work that, despite its pacing issues and uneven second act, offers moments of genuine brilliance, heartfelt nostalgia, and a playful yet poignant meditation on love, progress, and the passage of time.