As far as creepy children’s literature goes, Neil Gaiman’s “Coraline” ranks among some of the best. It was perfect fodder for “Nightmare Before Christmas” director Henry Selick to turn into a delectable stop-motion film last year. When a musical version debuted a month later, it seemed especially fitting that the music and lyrics were composed by the eccentric Stephin Merritt, lead singer of The Magnetic Fields, whose quirky musical sensibilities suit the off-beat “Coraline.”
The whimsical score is comprised of different plinking pianos and “prepared” pianos – pianos that have random objects like playing cards and rubber bands attached to strings to alter their sound. The music translates well to smaller, more intimate venues such as the San Francisco Playhouse which is hosting the west coast premiere of “Coraline” through Jan. 15.
“Coraline” follows the young titular heroine (Maya Donato) who, bored and ignored by her parents, wanders through a door in her drawing room to discover an “Other World,” an improved version of her dull life at home. Here, the colors are more vibrant, her toys literally come to life, and, best of all, her Other Mother (Stacy Ross) and Other Father (Jackson Davis) give her their full attention, wanting nothing more than to indulge her every whim all day, every day.
The one, unnerving difference? Everyone in this Other World – her parents, toys and neighbors – all have round black buttons sewn over their eyes. It’s the one stipulation the Other Mother asks of Coraline in order to stay with her in the Other World forever. When Coraline refuses to have the buttons sewn in, events take a turn for the creepier as the true, evil nature of the Other Mother slowly manifests itself in twitches and a frightening monstrous hand that grows larger and more menacing throughout the show. Ross shines as the terrifying Other Mother, bringing a generous dose of manic creepiness.
The role of Coraline switches off between different actresses depending on the night. Donato played the lead the night I went. The original production had a grown-up Jayne Houdyshell portray Coraline, but the SF Playhouse production went the more traditional route with an age-appropriate actress. Donato has all the precocious pluck of your standard child star. However, she oftentimes was buried beneath the overbearing narration the show uses as a crutch to illustrate the action impossible to show live. The excessive narration is the biggest weakness of the musical, especially when compared to the effortless magic of the book and movie. Here, Donato has to huff and puff in her exaggerated British accent to make sure the audience sees the fiery red balls and beautiful garden Coraline sees. She should be applauded for her efforts but it’s disheartening so much of the appeal of Gaiman’s original story was lost in translation.
The novella is only 163 pages long and the musical only 10 minutes shorter than the movie but everything about the musical felt rushed and glossed over. Perhaps the budget or the venue wasn’t grand enough or the connection to the characters too lacking. Even when not bogged down by narration, the pacing lagged during moments meant to be heart-racing. For a show that aims to paint a spooky, whimsical Other World, it’s disenchanting that so much remains mired by the mundane aspects of the real one.
“Coraline” plays at the San Francisco Playhouse until Jan. 15, tickets are $30-50.