Crafting a successful Broadway musical is no easy feat, demanding a blend of creativity, resilience, and a touch of serendipity. A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder stands as a shining example of this challenging yet rewarding journey. This witty and dark musical comedy captivated audiences and critics alike, culminating in a triumphant win at the Tony Awards. To understand the magic behind this production, we delve into a conversation with the creators, Robert Freedman and Steven Lutvak, the writing duo who brought this unique story to life. Their journey, spanning over a decade, is a testament to their dedication and the fascinating evolution of A Gentleman’s Guide.
From Silver Screen to Stage: The Spark of Inspiration
The story begins not on stage, but in front of a television screen. Lutvak recounts his college days when, battling insomnia, he stumbled upon the classic film Kind Hearts and Coronets. A cinematic gem known for its dark humor and the remarkable performance of Alec Guinness in multiple roles, the film sparked an immediate connection in Lutvak’s mind. “I literally bolted upright in bed, smacked my forehead and said, ‘Oh my god, it’s a musical.'” This seemingly outlandish thought was rooted in the film’s structure, which Lutvak perceived as a twisted yet traditional musical framework, reminiscent of Oklahoma! with its central love triangle and underlying tensions. This initial spark led them to pursue the rights to adapt Kind Hearts and Coronets into a musical.
Image: Robert L. Freedman, co-creator of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, showcasing his expertise in musical theatre writing.
Navigating Rights and Rediscovering the Source
Their journey took an unexpected turn when, despite initial progress and accolades like Sundance development, Kleban and Fred Ebb Awards, and successful readings, they faced obstacles with the film rights holders. However, fate intervened in the form of the source material itself. Kind Hearts and Coronets was based on Roy Horniman’s novel, Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal, which, crucially, was in the public domain. Freedman explains this pivotal moment: “When we got into hot water with the film company, which rescinded its offer, we went back to the novel.” This return to the original novel proved to be a blessing in disguise. They meticulously stripped away elements specifically from the film but not present in the novel, guided by a copyright lawyer to ensure complete legal compliance. This constraint, rather than hindering their creativity, became a catalyst for innovation.
Creative Liberation: Embracing the Novel’s Potential
Forced to deviate from the familiar cinematic adaptation, Freedman and Lutvak discovered a newfound freedom in the novel. Lutvak describes the rewriting process as “enormously freeing…it freed us up to be wilder in our choices.” The novel offered “nuggets” of inspiration that allowed them to reshape the narrative and characters. While the core premise of a man eliminating family members to inherit a dukedom remained, the specifics were reimagined. Freedman elaborates, “There are eight people who die in the movie and eight people who die in our show. But there are differences in the occupations and the personality profiles, the identities of the people that get killed.” This divergence extended to the methods of demise. The limitations imposed by rights issues inadvertently spurred them to create more theatrical and comedic deaths, tailored for the stage. This reinvention highlights the adaptive and resourceful nature of theatrical creation, turning a legal hurdle into a creative opportunity.
Image: Steven Lutvak, the composer and lyricist of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, demonstrating his experience in musical composition.
Overcoming Legal Challenges: A Triumph of Theatrical Tradition
Just as production seemed within reach, another significant challenge arose. Shortly before a scheduled production in La Jolla in 2009, a lawsuit from the film rights holders threatened to derail the project once more. Freedman recalls this as “really an awful time,” marked by a thirteen-month legal battle. The core contention was the theatrical device of having one actor play all the doomed D’Ysquith family members – a feature prominent in the film but not explicitly in the novel. The legal argument hinged on whether this theatrical convention infringed on the film’s copyright. Ultimately, their attorney successfully argued that such doubling was a long-standing theatrical tradition. In a resounding victory for theatrical adaptation and creative interpretation, the judge dismissed the case in March 2011. Lutvak quotes the judge’s insightful decision: “ultimately the movie and the musical are two completely different iterations of the same underlying material. The movie plants its tongue firmly in its cheek and the musical sticks its tongue out.” This legal victory paved the way for A Gentleman’s Guide to finally reach the stage.
Balancing Darkness and Delight: Crafting the Show’s Unique Appeal
With legal hurdles cleared, the focus shifted to refining the show’s unique blend of dark comedy and charm. The creators grappled with the delicate balance of making morally questionable characters engaging and entertaining. Lutvak emphasizes their careful approach: “We were very careful about that; we needed to make the D’Ysquiths all odious enough that you didn’t mind seeing them killed off.” Simultaneously, they needed to ensure the protagonist, Monty Navarro, remained sympathetic despite his murderous intentions. Casting a likeable actor in the role of Monty was crucial.
Freedman highlights the inherent sympathy in Monty’s circumstances. “I think there are certain things about his predicament in life that are inherently sympathetic and that anybody can identify with; he’s an underdog.” Monty’s motivations – poverty, social injustice, and a desire to avenge his mother’s suffering – resonate with audiences. Furthermore, the D’Ysquith family members are portrayed as comically arrogant and out-of-touch, making their demise less morally troubling and more darkly humorous. Freedman adds, “We also felt the way to help him be more sympathetic was to make sure all the people he killed were as loathsome as possible.”
Beyond the characters and plot, the show’s humor is deeply embedded in its language, tone, and musicality. Freedman and Lutvak describe their collaborative writing process with infectious enthusiasm. “Steve and I had a tremendous amount of fun writing it and we just wallowed in the language of it and the attitude of it and the tone. We kept making sure that we were keeping everything consistent in tone. And we just cracked each other up writing lyrics.” Their shared creative energy, writing lyrics together in the same room, contributed to the show’s cohesive and distinctive voice. Lutvak reflects on the show’s surprising essence: “As time has gone by, I realize that what we are, in a way, is a very low comedy in a very fancy box.” The juxtaposition of Edwardian England’s formality with the show’s farcical and irreverent humor is a key element of its comedic appeal.
Theatrical Innovation: Staging and Design
A Gentleman’s Guide is not only cleverly written but also brilliantly staged. Its theatricality is a defining characteristic, featuring a small chorus playing multiple roles and an inventive stage-within-a-stage design. This visual dynamism is attributed to the collaboration with director Darko Tresnjak and his design team. Freedman praises Tresnjak’s initial understanding of their vision and his collaboration with set designer Alexander Dodge to create the “toy theater idea.” Their shared vision was to present the story as if it were being performed in its own historical period. Tresnjak’s innovative use of projections further enhanced the theatrical experience, creating a sense of Edwardian England while maintaining a modern sensibility. This fusion of historical setting with contemporary staging techniques contributed to the show’s unique visual and theatrical language.
Image: A promotional image for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, highlighting the theatrical staging and Edwardian era costumes.
Tony Award Triumph and Enduring Audience Connection
The culmination of over a decade of work arrived on a June night when A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder won the Tony Award for Best Musical, with Robert Freedman also receiving the Tony for Best Book. Lutvak describes the feeling as “nothing less than astonishing,” emphasizing the long and arduous journey. Freedman echoes this sentiment, calling it “the most incredible thing and it’s surreal and it’s wonderful.” However, beyond the accolades, both creators emphasize the profound connection with the audience as the most rewarding aspect of the show’s success.
Freedman poignantly describes the emotional experience of witnessing audience reactions: “There’s nothing in the world like the feeling…when people react to the show at the end; just the overwhelming excitement of the audience and the fact that I’ve been part of something that I’m sharing with people, with strangers and that they are reacting to it the way that they are with incredible enthusiasm.” This shared experience, the palpable excitement and joy emanating from the audience, is what resonates most deeply. While the Tony Award was a remarkable achievement, the enduring connection with audiences, the ability to evoke such strong emotions and shared joy, remains the true measure of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder‘s success. It is a testament to the power of collaboration, perseverance, and the enduring magic of musical theater to captivate and move audiences night after night.
