'Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812' / 'Nikolai and the Others'

The Russians are coming, The Russians are coming - but it’s no cause for alarm.

After a successful run at Ars Nova, 'Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812,' the off-Broadway show based on War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, has moved to Kazino, a theater site specifically created for the show in the Meatpacking district of NYC.

The audience sits at tables around the room and, prior to the show, eats a light Russian-style dinner including blinis, borsht, salmon and chicken, which is included in the price. Alcohol is available for purchase (5 shots of vodka for $75). The show is light and sometimes irreverent and moves quickly, beginning with a song introducing all the characters. (There’s also a diagram in the program if you need to consult it.)

There’s action throughout the large room, and I found myself turning in my chair constantly as the performers moved about. This is not interactive theater, but it definitely is ‘up close.’ Suddenly you have a performer speaking, standing or dancing right next to you, so this is not the show where you can take a nap. Young, naive, beautiful Natasha (an excellent Phillipa Soo) arrives in Moscow as her fiancée, Andrey (Blake Delong) goes off to war. She’s introduced into society where she draws the attention of a good looking scoundrel named Anatole who unbeknownst to many is already married. Yet, he’s determined to win Natasha.

There’s no setting and just a few props. The fun is the venue and the light-handed presentation. The play is presented opera style with no dialogue. Usually Russian novels are heavy but here, even the bad guys have a levity about them. The music is by David Malloy who also plays Pierre, a wealthy aristocrat living a slothful existence. His songs are varied and fun. Despite its time period, the piece feels very current and strobe lights and a DJ accompanied a drinking song.