Now on stage at Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King Street WestJuly 22, 2025
“Breathless and Exhilarating! Seventy pages from the Russian iconic ‘War and Peace’ look marvellous on the Royal Alexandra stage. Solo numbers resonate and resound. Sound balance issues require careful attention in several of the large ensemble musical numbers.”
While romantic elements play a significant role in ‘Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812’, the production ultimately transcends the boundaries of a conventional love story. While Mirvish describes the musical on its website as a scandalous slice of drama, there’s more to this story of deep human bonds.
The year is 1812. The setting Moscow. The musical centres on two characters, Pierre (Evan Buliung), an intellectually inclined but socially awkward man who remains unmoved by the allure of Moscow’s aristocratic circles as the city faces Napoleon’s invasion. Pierre experiences an internal crisis. The other is Natasha (Hailey Gillis), an impulsive and naïve young woman. She journeys to Moscow accompanied by her cousin and loyal friend Sonya (Vanessa Sears). Upon their arrival at the home of Natasha’s godmother, Marya (Louise Pitre), she assures the young ladies of her protective oversight as an adult figure in the wicked city.
Natasha is engaged to Prince Andrey (Marcus Nance), whose affluent background makes the union advantageous for both families. However, with Andrey away at war, Marya tells Natasha to visit his elderly father, Old Prince Bolkonsky (also played by Vance) and his unmarried sister, Mary (Heeyun Park 박희윤). The meeting proves unsuccessful because the two women do not genuinely care for each other. Natasha finds her future father-in-law insufferable. To lift Natasha’s spirits, Marya recommends going to the Opera, where Natasha becomes enamoured with the charming and handsome Anatole (George Krissa). In another scene, Anatole, Pierre, and Dolokhov (Lawrence Libor) spend an evening drinking, where they meet Pierre’s wife and Anatole’s sister, Hélène (Divine Brown), who is unfaithful and derisive towards Pierre. Dolokhov makes advances on Hélène, prompting Pierre to a duel where he is hurt. As the plot unfolds, Hélène invites Natasha to a ball, where Anatole ultimately succeeds in seducing her.
Over a year since its previous run, ‘The Great Comet’ demonstrates clear benefits from being presented on a larger stage. The grandness of the narrative is well-served by the Royal Alex stage, allowing the musical’s themes to resonate anew. Julie Fox and Joshua Quinlan’s two-level wraparound set design makes excellent use of the Royal Alexandra stage, even accommodating select audience members within the performance space to heighten engagement. Lighting Designer Kimberly Purtell evokes and underscores the emotional landscape of the characters.
Ming Wong’s meticulously crafted costumes remain striking for their vibrant colours and diverse textures. Brian Kenny faces the challenging task of balancing vocal clarity with orchestral dynamics; solo and duet performances generally succeed in delivering audible lyrics. Some ensemble numbers—the opening ‘Prologue’, ‘Balaga’ and ‘Letters’—suffer from the orchestra overpowering the singers. This issue may prevent audiences from fully appreciating the heightened intensity of the moment. Can adjustments be made to ensure this balance to enhance enjoyment for future performances?
Director Chris Abraham’s accomplished and fine staging, Ryan de Souza’s musical direction, which fosters emotional resonance, and Ray Hogg’s dazzling choreography collectively deliver a visually and aurally compelling experience that resonates on an emotional level. Two jaw-dropping moments in staging entire company numbers – the opening ‘Prologue’ and ‘Balaga’ – left me breathless when I saw the show at Crow’s last year. The same occurred on this opening night at the Royal Alexandra.
The cast remains sublime in their grounded and genuine performances.
Evan Buliung delivers compelling work as Pierre. He convincingly reveals the character’s ongoing personal and existential challenges. There’s an authenticity. Buliung’s final solo at the end of Act Two is enhanced by Purtell’s sharply lit comet design. This moment leaves an indelible impact beyond the curtain call. Hailey Gillis brings depth to Natasha. Gillis effectively conveys her character’s youthfulness and innocence while skillfully illustrating Natasha’s emotional descent when her idealized aspirations with George Krissa’s Anatole unravel. Gillis maintains her composure throughout, avoiding histrionics in her performance.
Vanessa Sears offers a nuanced interpretation of Sonya. Her Act Two solos, ‘Sonya Alone’ and ‘Natasha Very Ill’, powerfully demonstrate her steadfast commitment to integrity over convenience regarding Natasha’s predicament. Louise Pitre instills warmth and reassurance into her Marya. She embodies a consistent and supportive maternal figure.
George Krissa’s Anatole generates the necessary sexual chemistry. His engagement with female audience members provides playful moments of audience interaction. Marcus Nance plays dual roles as Prince Andrey and his father, Old Prince Bolkonsky, which provides an effective visual contrast. While the Old Prince is mean, this behaviour is likely a result of his fraught relationship with his unmarried daughter, Mary. Nance’s depiction of Andrey elicits sympathy from the audience. He is a man caught between duty and longing for Natasha.
Heeyun Park balances Mary’s unhappiness at home with her father through a lovely and expressive singing voice. Divine Brown’s Hélène stands out for her spirited and sensual performance. Lawrence Libor’s Dolokhov remains loyal to his friend, Anatole, while finding himself entangled in Pierre’s marital difficulties. The ensemble of actors, singers, and dancers makes a meaningful contribution to the narrative. They collectively display both passion and engagement, which enhances the overall quality of the production.
The hope that Natasha and Pierre feel at the end of Act Two is the reason ‘The Great Comet’ works on the larger stage. While Natasha’s dalliance with another man indeed becomes a poor choice she makes, the fact that she connects with another human who will not pass judgment on her becomes a vital life value not only for Natasha but for everyone in the audience. While Pierre continues to face his crisis, there remains hope that he and Natasha will connect in the future.
I had the good fortune to see this production at Toronto’s Crow’s Theatre, where, for most audience members, it blew us away with its unique immersive staging experience. The majority of the Crow’s and Musical Stage’s cast has returned with some new additions.
Please take advantage of this opportunity to see the production. It may even spark some to read ‘War and Peace’
It did for my guest.
Running time: approximately two hours and 30 minutes with one interval/intermission.
‘Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812’ runs until August 24 at Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King Street West. For tickets: visit mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333.
DAVID & HANNAH MIRVISH present
The Crow’s Theatre and the Musical Stage Company’s production of
‘Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812’
Music, Lyrics, Book and Orchestrations by Dave Malloy
Directed by Chris Abraham
Music Director: Ryan deSouza
Choreographer: Ray Hogg
Co-set designers: Julie Fox and Joshua Quinlan
Costume Designer: Ming Wong
Lighting Designer: Kimberly Purtell
Sound Designer: Brian Kenny
Video Designer: Nathan Bruce
Stage Manager: Sarah Miller
Performers: Hailey Gillis, Evan Buliung, Divine Brown, Rita Dottor, George Krissa, Lawrence Libor, Marcus Nance, Heeyun Park 박희윤, Andrew Penner, Louise Pitre, Vanessa Sears, Tess Benger, Andrew Broderick, Janelle Cooper, Donna Garner, Elena Howard Scott, Brendan Wall
