While working as a musician on a cruise ship, composer Dave Malloy bought a copy of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. The lengthy novel follows several characters in Russia during the Napoleonic Wars. 

Malloy decided to take a 70-page sliver (Book 2, Volume 5) and adapt it into a musical, which became Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812. 

Nineteen-year-old Natasha (Denee Benton) is new to the city, and quickly gets caught up in its charms, while Pierre (Josh Groban), a kind-hearted but unhappily married count, tries to find meaning in his life. Supporting characters include Natasha’s strict godmother Marya (Grace McLean), her cousin and friend Sonya (Brittain Ashford), and Pierre’s scheming wife Helene (Amber Gray) and her charming brother Anatole (Lucas Steele).

Great Comet moved from its original production’s Russian supper club-type setting to Broadway’s Imperial Theater. It played five productions before closing on Broadway in September 2017, and was never a smash hit, despite good reviews. For a large portion of its time on Broadway, the musical survived because artist Josh Groban was cast in the title role of Pierre. However, when Groban left the project, and the subsequent actors dealt with controversy, the production closed. 

Despite non-critical acclaim, how were people drawn into an electro-pop opera retelling of a section of War and Peace, a novel most haven’t read?

One way was inventive staging. Early productions staged the show around the audience, so everything was already created to be immersive. The Imperial Theater was transformed at great expense, having seats taken out so two staircases could be put into the audience’s orchestra section, thereby creating the same effect.

The musical is also rife with audience participation, and the staircase staging helps immensely. For example, a section of the audience helps deliver a letter from Anatole to Natasha at the beginning of Act 2. 

The audience feels part of the story, as they have a role to play. 

The action is happening all around them, as opposed to just in front of them. Certain sections were also allowed to bring food to their seats, and cast members would deliver pierogies (Polish dumplings) prior to the start of the show.

In his lyrics, Malloy uses a decent amount of words directly from the novel. Usually, this is done by having characters speak of themselves or others in third person, narrating what they are doing. For example, this is from Sonya, as she’s narrating for Marya, Natasha, and Helene:

“And just after Marya left/There was a knock at the door/Natasha had just turned her head to the glass/When she heard a voice that made her flush.”

Lyrics from “Sunday Morning”

Another song that was praised for this is “Sonya Alone,” where Sonya declares that she’ll stay by Natasha’s side despite upcoming troubles. Malloy has said that this section is directly from Tolstoy, especially the lines where Sonya is pondering while standing in the darkened hallway outside Natasha’s room:

“But I will stand in the dark for you/I will hold you back by force/I will stand here right outside your door/I won’t see you disgraced/I will protect your name and your heart/Because I miss my friend.”

There is a reason Tolstoy’s novels have withstood the test of time, and Malloy’s careful choice of lyrics shows why. Sonya is making a hard, brave choice, contrasted with the darkness she’s standing in. Her decision matters, and is made to matter.

The musical’s plot covers plenty of twists and turns, including a war, an affair, and a duel, and that alone is enough to get people in the door, similar to the smash hit Hamilton. People are always up for action-packed plots, and this musical delivers.

Great Comet has been billed as an electro-pop opera, and that’s fairly accurate. Certain characters have distinct musical styles meant for them.

Anatole plays the violin, but is also the harbinger of electronic music, for example. However, certain songs (such as “The Abduction”) also pay tribute to a more Russian style of music, harkening back to the story’s roots. There are even a few Russian lyrics and customs, such as the custom where people sit for a few moments before a long journey. For those who don’t know the plot or characters, the first song introduces everyone, as well as their main character traits. This hodge-podge of styles might seem ridiculous, but blends together well and interests people because of the variety.

The experimental nature of this show can be a large draw, especially for those who don’t know the plot or who would be more interested because of the innovative premise. Casting Josh Groban was also a large positive, even if hiring musicians from outside musical theater isn’t something often seen in Broadway shows. 

It paid off, as audiences could be convinced to seek out unconventional shows over their favorites. 

After all, how do shows become famous in the first place? People took a chance on them. Eventually, as with everything, that had to come to an end. Unfortunately, the show’s closure included unexpected controversy, but it did run in the same theater for nearly a year, which for Broadway counts as a success, according to director Rachel Chavkin.

Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 is a strange show in many ways. Beginning as a restaurant/show combination, it slid into Broadway with plenty of Tony nominations and buzz, but only won a few. The buzz didn’t die, but wasn’t as over the top as it had been for other shows. The staging and music are both inventive and unusual for traditional Broadway. Dave Malloy may have even sparked new interest in War and Peace by using Tolstoy’s novel for his lyrics. 

Everyone needs to be reminded of great literature every once in a while, so why not do so through a multi-genre musical with a cast who dance throughout the theater and invite you to participate?