The Heart

Book & Additional Lyrics by Kait Kerrigan

Music & Lyrics by Anne Eisendrath & Ian Eisendrath

Based on “Réparer les vivants” by Maylis de Kerangal

Directed by Christopher Ashley

Produced by Roundabout Theatre at the Laura Pels Theatre

Do you want to see a musical about organ transplants?  Well, it’s not exactly about organ transplants.  “The Heart,” at Roundabout’s Laura Pels Theatre, focuses on all of the people touched by, working on, and dealing with this phenomenon of modern medicine.  Simon Lamar, a 19-year-old surfer, is involved in a car accident that leaves him “brain-dead” while his other body parts are being kept alive in a hospital emergency room.  He is a perfect candidate for donating his organs to transplant candidates hoping to stay alive long enough to find a match.  Of course, he cannot give his permission; that decision falls to his separated parents, Marianne and Sean Lamar.  They are approached by Thomas, the professional organ transplant solicitor with extensive experience dealing with mourning relatives at a time when they can only experience grief.

If this sounds like a terrible idea for a musical, “The Heart” is actually a surprisingly fascinating and engrossing exploration of the human elements in this challenging time for everyone involved.  We see the doctors and nurses supporting their professional responsibilities while balancing their work with their personal needs.  Simon’s parents and disco-girlfriend, Juiliette, move from absolute denial to reluctant understanding and acceptance. In the process, the audience is given insights into the issues and emotions that surround this extremely complex experience.

Entertaining is not exactly the correct description of this musical, but the engaging staging of this complex story, the extraordinary visuals projected onto the stage, the choreographic movement, and the songs that reveal the emotional and provocative issues surrounding this everyday occurrence make “The Heart” a fascinating contemporary approach to musical theatre.

The music itself is not very distinctive, mostly soft-rock.  It’s the lyrics that present the issues, understanding the challenges, and overcoming the resistance. The staging draws the viewer into the thoughts and experiences of the characters.  The choreography by Mandy Moore is not exactly dancing – it’s movement that draws the audience’s attention to the message of the lyrics.  Throughout the show there are striking visual projections and evocative lighting, sometimes abstract, other times a reflection of the medical moment.

The show is directed by the Roundabout Theatre’s new Artistic Director, Christopher Ashley. Prior to moving to New York, Mr. Ashley was the Artistic Director of the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California, where he directed the original production of “The Heart.”  The Playhouse is one of the leading regional theatres that give writers and musicians the opportunity to refine their new creations before a live audience that enjoys original and experimental works. The clarity and potency of the Roundabout production clearly indicates that the show’s writers - Kait Kerrigan, Anne Eisendrath, and Ian Eisendarth - fine-tuned their adaptation of the French novel, “Réparer les vivants” (“Repair of the Living”), by Maylis de Kerangal, at La Jolla. The cast  of nine actors playing multiple parts is uniformly excellent.

For me, this 90-minute encounter was a bit too close to home at my age and health challenges.  It appeared that I was not alone among other members of the audience. While the action rarely evokes sadness, there were clearly people sitting around me who had personal encounters like those being portrayed.  This unique musical strikes so many of the personal, ethical, and human issues related to modern survival with passion, understanding, and insight. “The Heart” is worth experiencing, if you are ready for it.