newjerseynewsroom.com

While the director paces the play quickly enough, two key actors are dreadful. Looking like a schoolgirl, Clemence Poesy proves to be a wooden, wan Roxane. Even worse is the charmless Christian portrayed by Kyle Soller with a chip on his shoulder and a surprisingly plain mug. What’s with such contrary casting? Christian is supposed to be a dumb dreamboat; not a skater dude in a bad blond wig.

Production designer Soutra Gilmour dresses everyone appropriately in lived-in period clothes and neatly provides four somber locations with looming brick archways that move forward and back for different perspectives. The opening sequence at the theater looks too grubby for my taste, but thanks in part to Japhy Weideman’s shadowy lighting design, the remaining visuals suit Roundabout’s scraggy realization of a famously lush piece of dramatic literature.

“Cyrano de Bergerac” continues through Nov. 25 at the American Airlines Theatre, 227 W. 42nd St., New York. Call (212) 719-1300 or visit www.roundabouttheatre.org.

RECENT REVIEWS BY MICHAEL SOMMERS

REVIEW: ‘Harper Regan’ suffers mid-life crisis

REVIEW: ‘Grace' rewinds the mills of God

REVIEW: ‘Marry Me A Little’ considers romance

REVIEW: ‘Ten Chimneys’ paints an affectionate show-biz portrait