In the newly renovated Cygnet Theatre, now at The Joan, “Follies” kicked off with an unforgettable show to watch. “Follies” made its debut on Sept. 10th and will run until Oct. 19th. 

“Follies” is a musical about former performers reuniting with their now decaying theatre, which will be demolished. With this, they must face their past and present struggles, including the transformation of relationships over time.

The opening number unfolded gradually and kept the audience guessing. The beginning introduces the characters’ past and present selves. The buildup of this number made the tension-filled opener a bang of a start. This is seen with dramatic lighting, choreography, acting, singing and beautiful costumes to represent the time contrast from the 1940s-past and 1970s-present.

The audience was deeply engaged with not only the huge dance numbers, but also the relationships of the characters.

Emma Woolley described it as a “Non-linear vignette show and a hopeless love story”. 

The audience gasped as they learned about these characters’ conflicts and flaws, at times these flaws led the audience to be conflicted in defending these characters’ actions.

The importance of this musical is the contrast between their past and present selves. Their past selves are represented as a symbolic view of a ghost throughout. They are seen following their present selves. 

This is seen throughout the musical when seeing the present characters act the same as their past. A big number in which the audience sees the wonder of these past showgirls’ enthusiasm, “Who’s That Woman?”. This performance had the audience cheering at how it captured how the past never dies.

The whole ensemble had huge facial expressions and high energy, which kept the audience clapping for long periods of time.

Cathleen Uzunolgu emphasized the word “Extra!” to describe the experience.

A more specific moment where the audience couldn’t stop clapping is when the character Phyllis Roger Stone, played by Karole Foreman, sang a song called “Could I Leave You?” She received an ovation for this memorable performance. 

Karole Foreman’s charismatic performance is a must-see and stands out in the musical. 

The ending left the audience with an unsettling feeling. Despite the struggles and the untold truths, towards the end of the musical, it is revealed that these couples are still left together. 

This conflicting ending is a perfect reflection of both the feelings of the audience and the characters in this moment.