‘Nine, the Musical’ not quite a perfect 10

The provocative and unusual production “Nine” opened Friday night at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre.\nA mixed bag of stupendous and so-so performances, “Nine” fell short of my expectations but still delivered an engaging and entertaining show. \nFeaturing a cast of 22 women and one man, “Nine” tells a story packed with flirtation and frustration. The musical follows Guido Contini, a famous Italian film-writer and director who loses his inspiration and searches for it in the wrong places. He drags his wife, Luisa, to a spa where he feels he can escape the stress of being hounded by media reporters and fawned after by a flock of female fans.\nWhile on his vacation of sorts, Guido’s problems only multiply. His producer, Liliane la Fleur, demands a script that he claims to be finishing, but in reality he has failed to start it. Enter Guido’s current mistress, Carla, and old flame, Claudia, who both end up at the spa and vie for his attention (to his wife’s chagrin). Caught in his web of lies, Guido is his own worst enemy and comes close to losing everything he has worked for. \nGraduate student John Armstrong dazzled as Guido, the cinematic celebrity and conniving Casanova to women across the world. Armstrong’s performance was on par at all times; he captured Guido’s most manipulative and melancholy moments with startlingly accuracy. His sensational singing during first-act closer “The Bells of St. Sebastian” gave me goose bumps and left me wishing for an encore. \nThe actresses playing the women in Guido’s life held their own on stage.\nAs Guido’s one-time co-star and romantic interest Claudia, junior Maggie Mountsier shone. Her singing reflected a sophistication and skill missing from most of the show’s female voices. \nSenior Angie Perez, who plays Carla, was spot-on as Guido’s sexy, sassy mistress. Her gutsy performance was both entertaining and enjoyable to watch. \nSenior Erin Daugherty, as Luisa, gave a good performance as Guido’s wife. Her acting was strong, but her singing could not hold a solo. I had a great deal of trouble hearing her sing, despite sitting in the fifth row. \nAs Guido’s eccentric and outlandish producer Liliane la Fleur, senior Margot Gendreau was delightful to watch. \nPerformances of the other women in the cast and chorus ranged from fabulous to fair. \nThough disappointing at times, “Nine” is a production worth seeing. Its stronger performances are some of the best from the Department of Theatre and Drama this year. \nThe show runs from Monday, April 16, through Saturday, April 21, at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre. All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $18 for adults and $14 for students, seniors and anyone 30 and younger (discounts today through Thursday). Student rush tickets are also available. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the IU Auditorium box office. For more information, visit www.theatre.indiana.edu.