LIFE is not what it is cracked up to be. Or so learn the characters in the Loeb Mainstage's current production of Candide, most of whom constantly search for the best in this best of all possible worlds. While revealing the failure of unbridled optimism, the cast of Candide displays much of the best singing and acting talents seen at Harvard in the past few years. Excellent staging, costumes, and sets contribute to this sterling production whose buoyancy and energy constantly delight the audience during its tightly-knit two hour performance.

Based on Voltaire's eponymous novel, Candide follows the loss of innocence of four young characters, who hail from the German town of Westphalia. This quarter features the tantalizing servant girl Paquette (Leslie Blumenthal), and Candide (Mark Meredith), the poor bastard cousin of both the narcissistic Maximilion (David Chase) and of the beautiful Cunegonde (Nan Hughes). All four are under the tutelage of the wise, omnipresent, and somewhat jaded Pangloss played superbly by Jon Tolin Pangloss also serves as the show's magnificent narrator--Voltaire in a similar vein to Salieri's narration in the stage production of Amadeus. From his excellent bedside miming during the overture to his constant reincarnations throughout the course of his pupil's bizarre encounters with fate, Tolin's Voltaire exudes a special acceptance of life that his students have yet to learn. Tolin's transitions from character to character are very smooth, and his voice reveals his vibrant guidance of the story's frequently unbelievable storyline. And when he catechizes his four students, the five-part medley is truly spectacular.

The plot explicity follows Candide's love affair with Cunegonde, which initially is torn apart by her percents score of his social positions. The lowers' attempts at reunion, simply put make up the rest of the plot, carrying Candide from war, to the wrath of the Inquisition, the New World of South America, and taking Cunegonde from her sedate home-life t, the life of an exotic whore, to a harem. Leaving the intricacies of the plot to the audience and to the realm of fantasy, the overall consistency of performances commands much respect Meredith's Candide is amazingly native up until the very end; his magnificant tenor voice as beautiful during his melancholy solo. "It Must Be So," and it harmonizes wonderfully with Hughes Cunegonde as well. Other wonderful performances include Valerie Gilbert's spunky role as Cunegonde's companion. Ty Warren's lecherous governor, and Carol Emert and Lisa Zeidenberg's sheep.

OTHER roles deserving note are Blumenthal's saucy Paquette and Chase's delightfully egotistical--and yet, by the end, humbled-Maximilion. Shining out from the rest, however, is Hughes Cunegonde. In her last prominent Harvard production, Hughes displays her talent as perhaps the best undergraduate soprano in recent years. She brings to Cunegonde a spectacular verve and vibrancy most noticably her awe-inspiring solo, "Glitter and be Gay." Here, she mixes her characters sorrow and desolation at being separated from Candide and at being a where with her absolute glee with the baubles and jewels given her. Her vocal strength during the song combines with her splendid duties with Meredith to bring a unique flair to this production. Harvard drama will sorely mourn her loss next year.

The costumes lighting, and dancing also deserve kudos. The only minor flaws in the production include the lack of an intermission which though not written into the original script could have ben interpolated here because though the cast sustained their momentum for a solid two hours, the audience could have used a brief respite. The orchestra seems slightly underrehearsed, but fortunately was soft enough to enable every singer to be heard clearly. All in all Candide is truly an ensemble performance, featuring an excellent chorts which shows the cruelty of this fallen world in its numerous appearances as citizen of various towns. Though Candide itself presents a rather sober vision of humanity this production represents the best of Harvard theater with its magnificent execution and wonderous gathering of some of the best undergraduate talent around. Everyone in the cast rises to Pangloss message that one can always strive for the best.