Cinnabar Theater’s ‘Cyrano’ is ‘flirtatious’ and ‘joyful’

I was skeptical of “Cyrano” as the best choice to ring in the new year, since it is a notoriously depressing story.

The disfigured poet’s misfortunes — as he is forced to stand in the shadows watching his true love Roxane wooed by a tongue-tied guy named Christian — has brought me to tears on many occasions.

Fortunately, this is not one of them.

Rather than being set in an opulent, distant century, this staging enters the “Roaring Twenties” with clinking coupe glasses and toe-tapping music. The atmosphere is a festive New Orleans garden party, not a melodramatic tale of woe and heartbreak.

Director James Pelican has created a celebration of love and flirtatious wit, with the tone of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” rather than presenting it as a tragedy.

Although the original play is by Edmond Rostand, the short, lively adaptation by Jo Roets keeps the core source material, but offers it in a lighthearted manner. Better yet is Cinnabar’s decision to weave in vintage songs, nimbly arranged by Jared Emerson-Johnson (the music director who also portrays Christian).

The entire cast gets involved with jug band music, which ranges from traditional instruments to actual jugs, spoons and a washboard. The audience nodded along to The Rivertown Skifflers’ spirited renditions of popular tunes like “Alone” and “St. James Infirmary” in between scenes, the songs carefully chosen to augment the story.

I did not expect to find kazoos and brandished umbrellas in “Cyrano,” but it works, surprisingly, creating a joyful explosion of good cheer and camaraderie.

Lluis Valls is instantly impressive as Cyrano (properly tying a bow tie on stage while reciting lines is a feat in and of itself). He has sensational stage presence, rapier-sharp dialogue and elegant ease during fight choreography.

Equally suited to her role as Roxane is the effervescent Allie Pratt. It is easy to understand why so many men are falling in love with her vivacious intelligence. Her comedic timing is ideal, and she is able to temper it for more dramatic moments.

The play’s slapstick humor comes primarily from the talented Sarah McKereghan, who often enters scenes by crashing into furniture while wearing outrageous mustaches. I could not keep track of how many characters she portrays, but it does not matter, because each one is more entertaining than the one before it.

Cinnabar is being careful with COVID-19 protocols from what I saw, checking that each guest is vaccinated before allowing them into the theater, and using cabaret seating for further spacing between groups.

This entirely unexpected staging of “Cyrano” is absurdly whimsical, and I loved it. If you are suffering from post-holiday blues, this play is like drinking a frothy glass of chilled Champagne after a long day.