Cyrano

The former Tony winner, the former Tony nominee, the tv actress: which one of the three would you expect to give the least assured performance in this new Broadway production of Cyrano de Bergerac? Bzzzt. The answer is Daniel Sunjata, formerly Tony-nommed for Take Me Out, whose too-contemporary turn as Christian makes it seem as if he hasn't been introduced to anyone else in the cast. Said TV actress, Jennifer Garner, turns out to be a radiant, spirited Roxanne. And Kevin Kline, in the title role, is wonderful: his performance is marked by fiercely intelligent choices, playing Cyrano with more quiet dignity than might be expected. The production is visually luscious, like a Rembrandt painting in motion, and although it sometimes feels long (the cuts that are usually made to the play have been restored; runtime: three hours) it does build to the needed emotionally affecting conclusion.