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Regional Reviews: Other Regions She Loves Me Also see Gil's reviews of Something Rotten!, Hamlet and Harmony
Set in 1934 Budapest, the plot centers on two co-workers at the Maraczek Parfumerie, Amalia Balash, the shop's newest sales clerk, and Georg Nowack. The two constantly bicker with each other as she finds him bossy and somewhat rude while he finds her inability to show up for work on time unprofessional. However, we quickly realize that the man Amalia has pinned her romantic hopes on from the lonely hearts club letters they've been exchanging, even though she has never met him or seen a picture of him, is Georg. And Georg is also in love with the "Dear Friend" he's been writing heartfelt letters to. The plot may sound very familiar because the musical was adapted from the play Parfumerie, which was turned into the basis for the films The Shop Around the Corner and In the Good Old Summertime. It was also later adapted into a more modern version, the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan romantic comedy You've Got Mail. That version, which used emails as the form of correspondence, was a smash hit. The fact that this simple story has been turned into so many hit films shows the joy the story brings. This cast is wonderful. Matt Koenig and Ali Ewoldt deliver beautifully layered and refined portrayals of Georg and Amalia. Their singing voices soar, and they bring authenticity to their relationships with the rest of the cast while creating a combative couple we root to see overcome their obstacles. Koenig brings an enthusiasm to his delivery of the title song while Ewoldt's lilting soprano hits some impressive notes in her solos. Meggie Siegrist is appropriately sweet and sexy as Ilona, Georg and Amalia's coworker who is unlucky in love and finds her relationship with another shop worker, Steven Kodaly (Pascal Pastrana), on the skids. Pastrana instills the womanizing Kodaly with a self-assured arrogancy that helps us easily see why he has no problem finding romantic partners and why Siegrist's Ilona is both hot and cold toward him. As Mr. Maraczek, Chris Mixon is authoritative yet kind and caring, and Brian Gonzales is excellent as Sipos, the married clerk who constantly worries about losing his job. Henry Hawes brings a bright-eyed sense of youth and excitement to the part of the delivery boy Arpad; his sweet voice shines on his solo, "Try Me." The ensemble cast add a lot of fun and charm in both the large musical numbers and throughout the production. Michael Perlman's direction plays up the romantic comedy elements beautifully, ensuring the serious moments shine while the humorous lines and scenes get big laughs. Perlman's staging is wonderful and makes great use of the gorgeous revolving set design by Jo Winiarski, which also features a lovely skyline of Budapest and several drops that transport us to the other locations in the story outside of the shop. Perlman's staging and Leigh Scheffler's choreography also incorporate the small but capable ensemble quite well, including one of the best stagings of "A Romantic Atmosphere" I've seen, with Colden Lamb and Zac Barnaby providing plenty of humor in this comical number. Jennifer Gillette's colorful costumes are period perfect as well as character appropriate. The lighting by Tom Mays uses a range of bright colors to play up the romantic nature of the show. Joe Payne's sound design ensures every lyric and musical note is heard clear under Brad Carroll's smart music direction. She Loves Me is a classic musical comedy that doesn't seem to get produced very often. It's a shame it doesn't but, fortunately, with a lovely cast, clear direction, and beautiful creative elements, Utah Shakespeare Festival's production of this sweet concoction of a show makes for a very tasty musical comedy treat. She Loves Me runs through October 3, 2026, at Utah Shakespeare Festival, Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts on the campus of Southern Utah University, 195 W Center St, Cedar City UT. For tickets and information, please visit www.bard.org or call 800-752-9849. Director: Michael Perlman Cast (In order of appearance): |
