Tacoma Musical Playhouse's production of Nine was everything Director and Choreographer Jon-Douglas Rake announced. Based on Fellini's film 8 1/2, it was indeed beautiful - the women, the acting, the set, the songs, the orchestra, the casting, all of it. TMP did a wonderful job producing a  spectacle worth seeing. (The one technical issue, during a passionate stage kiss; the actors' mics weren't muted and the audience was forced to pick out dialogue above the rustling.)

Unfortunately, a mediocre plot can dampen the most brilliant staging.

In the program, TMP takes a whole page to share the synopsis of the play. Instead of being able to give the most important points in a concise manner, the task required 12 paragraphs. Granted, the story is not the most simply written, but it is also neither the most compellingly organized nor the most interesting.

According to the synopsis, film director Guido (Rafe Wadleigh) has a double crisis. His wife may leave him. He is also supposed to be shooting a film, but can't seem to come up with a script. The line between reality and memory is blurred and we see Guido as an adult as well as a 9 year old (Curtis Gahung). Neither conflict seems to be more important than the other and neither is fully developed. While the two are supposed to be linked, it was not an overt connection.

Wadleigh and Gahung held their own as the only males in the large female cast. Wadleigh had great facial expressions without ever being over the top. Gahung was adorable to watch and had a sweet voice. María Valenzuela was great as Guido's long-suffering wife. Iris Elton, as Guido's mistress, exuded confidence and sexiness in her racy burlesque-style number "A Call From the Vatican."

While Guido's film plot had the same difficulty as TMP's production of Nine, TMP's well rehearsed staging definitely made the show entertaining to watch. If you only see theater for solid and easy to follow plot lines, Nine may not be for you. If you see theater for beautiful spectacle, great acting, singing and dancing then Tacoma Musical Playhouse's production definitely fits that bill.

*Please note, TMP does not recommend this show for patrons under the age of 13 due to adult subject matter and situations regarding infidelity, sexual themes and language. Also, there will be no performance April 15.

Nine

Through April 17, 8 p.m. Friday–Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Tacoma Musical Playhouse
7116 Sixth Ave., Tacoma
253.565.6867