by Kevin McLaughlin
Noël Coward’s Bitter Sweet was a grand hit in 1929, but its large cast, relatively complex plot, and throwback operetta format have kept it out of the regular repertoire in recent years.
Thank goodness for Ohio Light Opera’s polished new staging, seen on July 17 at The College of Wooster’s Freedlander Theatre. This elegant — and yes, bittersweet — tale of love, loss, and the passage of time was elevated by superb singing, splendid orchestral playing under Michael Borowitz’s baton, and all the wit, warmth, and visual splendor one hopes to find at the theater.
Structured as a memory play, Bitter Sweet is a deeply personal work. According to biographers, the love story — particularly as expressed through the character of Carl Linden — puts Coward’s romantic ideals on full display.
The story begins in 1929, flashes back to 1875, and winds through café society in Vienna before returning to its melancholic “modern day” frame. In Steven Daigle’s sensitively directed production, the time-traveling arc becomes coherent — even more so upon later reflection. Kiah Kayser’s richly detailed sets and Jennifer Salter’s period-specific costumes effectively evoke three decades of European fashion and social milieu.
As Sarah Millick — later known as Lady Shayne and Sari Linden — soprano Jenna Justice gave a nuanced performance that charted the character’s emotional journey from impetuous ingénue to reflective elder stateswoman. As Carl’s muse and vessel — preserving his memory by building a career around his songs — Sarah embodies both poignant tragedy and quiet strength, a duality that lends her character deep emotional resonance. Justice conveyed this complexity with poised singing and quiet intensity, nowhere more movingly than in the reprise of “I’ll See You Again,” Coward’s haunting farewell waltz.
Opposite Justice, Adam Griffiths brought exceptional empathy and vocal surety to the role of Carl Linden, Sarah’s Austrian music teacher and doomed first love. He found a sweet spot of believability and vocal endearment in both his spoken lines and singing. His duets with Justice — “I’ll See You Again,” “If You Could Only Come with Me,” and “Dear Little Café” — radiated sweetness and a tender sense of unfulfilled longing. He also played piano well, accompanying both his own singing (while in character) and Justice’s.
Comic relief and darker counterpoint came from the supporting cast. Caroline Hawthorne was vocally and dramatically superb as Manon, the sultry chanteuse who torch-sang with gravity in “If Love Were All,” “Bonne Nuit, Merci!” and “Kiss Me.” Rachel Weinfeld’s Dolly sparkled in the opening act’s salon scene, while Quinlyn Kessler, as the Viennese café proprietress Fräulein Schlick, exuded menace and sass beneath her layers of satin.
Spencer Reese did triple duty as actor (Vincent Howard), pianist, and choreographer. His dances brought sprightly energy to the stage, including a sharp polka in Act I and a graceful waltz in Act II — stylish, era-appropriate, and expertly executed by the company.
Opening Act II with a bit of sauce and tickle, four “Ladies of the Town” — Lotte (Amia Korman), Freda (Rachel Weinfeld), Hansi (Kate Bilenko), and Gussie (Jenna Grissom) — lampooned the glamour and grit of café society, and gave bite to Carl and Sarah’s new life in Vienna.
An equally charming quartet of dapper gentlemen (Noah Sickman, Asher Ramaly, Niko Theriault, and Spencer Wilde) sang “Green Carnation” in Act III with delicious camp.
Lighting designer Brittany Shemuga subtly reflected the drama’s shifting moods, most evocatively in the café scenes, where dusk and candlelight cast the stage in a noirish haze — a comfort zone of the demimonde.
Coward’s exquisite score — alternating between sentimental waltzes, crisp marches, and romantic ballads — was gracefully supported by the expert pit orchestra led by Michael Borowitz. As a testament to their quality, during the overture the audience was seemingly startled into attentiveness by a sense that something special was unfolding. All afternoon, the ensemble played with finesse and lilt, illuminating Coward’s semisweet harmonies and delicate orchestrations with warmth and precision.
Although Bitter Sweet is less frequently staged than several of Coward’s other plays, this well-performed production showed why it deserves a second look.
Published on ClevelandClassical.com July 23, 2025.
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