Our desire to see dreams come to life, to believe that anything might be possible, rests almost entirely with a realism of the spirit. If we believe in the characters, we’re ready and willing to accept the wildest incongruities. But it’s hard to believe in the dream at the center of An American in Paris when our hero, Mulligan, is just a set of gestures. McGee Maddox is a talented actor, dancer, and singer, but there’s nothing for him to play. And in some sense, his talent keeps reminding us of what we’re missing, the emptiness at the core of our hero.

When Maddox tries to infuse meaning into lines about how Mulligan wishes he could forget the war or how much art means to him, the actor is stymied by the perfunctory nature of the writing. We need a leading man. But what we get instead is a function of the plot, a pastiche of qualities rather than a real human being.

Mulligan is clearly not an artist. He has no qualities that suggest a suffering soldier, and in many ways this character barely seems American. He’s just an idea. Now, I would say that this problem goes all the way back to the source material: the character’s an odd defect in the movie too, even with Gene Kelly’s star power. And in both cases, the failure is pure poison to the delicate fantasy before us.

Jerry Mulligan (McGee Maddox) is more cipher than character in the new stage adaption of 'An American in Paris' at the Orpheum. — Jerry Mulligan (McGee Maddox) is more cipher than character in the new stage adaption of ‘An American in Paris’ at the Orpheum. (Photo: Courtesy of the Company)

What we’re left with is Gershwin’s majestic music, which tempers its wild forays with a rhythmic force that suggests everything you hear is part of the same world. It’s a fascinating rebuke to the bland soul at the heart of what should have been a marvelous adventure.

‘An American in Paris’ runs through Sunday, Oct. 8 at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco. For tickets and information click here.

orpheum theatreorpheum theatre

'Hamilton' to Return to SF, Reopening the Orpheum Theater in August

The Orpheum and Golden Gate, Both Historic SF Theaters, Sold to UK Company

'Hamilton' Canceled in San Francisco Due to Coronavirus

Bay Area Broadway Producers Announce Settlement, Ending Five-Year Legal Battle

Gorgeous 'An American in Paris' Musical has Soulless Lead Character

The Temptations of Paris