See What I Wanna See - Review up! (and a little of The Color Purple)

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 2:01am

“See What I Wanna See”
November 19, 2005
Evening

How do we derive truth? Who can we believe? Who’s right, who’s wrong? Perhaps the answers are not as black and white as we would like - but who can figure out the gray better than Michael John LaChiusa? As usual with his work, LaChiusa’s See What I Wanna See deals with a look into the depths of the human conscious. If it has not become apparent yet, it should be by now: LaChiusa thrives on topics dealing with controversial subjects. Consider some past LaChiusa musicals: a musical about sexual conquest; a musical about a victimized woman who kills, among many, her own babies; a musical about a smoker who can’t quite manage oxygen; and a musical about a woman who throws a party for the destruction of her lover. Well, right away it becomes quite apparent that all that’s missing from this portfolio was a musical about lying, cheating, and no good people who get theirs in the end. Alright, so maybe they aren’t all of these things, but one thing is sure: in all of the three different stories presented in SWIWS, everyone needs a lesson in Truth 101, including the audience.

Furthermore, the idea of a musical based on Rashomon has LaChiusa’s name all over it because of his ability to write an effective, character-driven song. One in which the music tells as much a vibrant story as the lyrics.

The show is an adaptation of three Akutagawa stories – Kesa and Morito, In a Grove, and The Dragon. As with the film version of the book, the story of Rashomon is basically non-existent (the film focuses on the story In a Grove, with the tone of Rashomon*).

A noticeable problem in SWIWS, as with most of LaChiusa’s shows, is the book. The book ranges from awkward moments of dialogue to dialogue that sacrifices emotion for intelligence. There are times when LaChiusa tries to intellectualize the emotions we, the audience, should be feeling – completely taking us out of the moment. This was even more noticeable because of the source material. Akutagawa has a writing style that is free and simple. Yet within its simplicity is a layer of extreme emotional complexity. The emotional state of the writing presents itself so clearly that it negates the simple writing style. This concept is hard to understand, and even harder to explain, but as you read Akutagawa’s stories, it becomes completely evident.

This problem of the intellectualization of the book is also apparent in the lyrics themselves. Under the lyrics, we have a rich beautiful score that borrows from classic Japanese musical art (I use the term musical art because Japanese music is so completely rich in simplistic strokes that make up a beautifully moving whole) as well as jazz (a LaChiusa favorite, it seems), and just about everything else. This is one of Lachiusa’s more melodic scores, full of lush melodies that fully develop.

Based on reviews, and knowing the short stories, I expected to like Act One (based on “In a Grove,” but entitled ‘R Shomon’ in the Playbill) more than Act Two. However, I was unprepared for the fierce emotional journey we take in Act Two – entitled ‘Gloryday.’ As in the source material, a priest makes up the idea of a miracle that will occur. However, the question is – Did the miracle really occur. Without giving it away, Henry Stram (as the Priest) gave a performance that ranks with the best of the best. The empty, desolate look in is washed eyes just makes you feel his agony. In the end, there were quite a few wet eyes in the house.

Mary Testa and Marc Kudish are both their brilliant selves – with Testa giving a knockout performance in Act Two (not to mention her comic relief in Act One as well). Aaron Lohr also switch nicely from a character we loathe to one who is suave and, I’ll say it, deep (who knew a reporter could feel (such) emotions!).

Not to segregate her, but since she seems to be a huge drawing factor, Idina Menzel is gloriously beautiful, with a light about her I have never seen before. Her ability to win the audience, as well as have them hate her character, is text-book good – no, great – acting. Her voice, live in the small theatre, blends beautifully with the rest of the cast’s. She isn’t on her own – she supports the cast as much as they support her, giving what will likely be one of the greatest performances of her career.

It is clear that, musically and book-wise, Act Two is stronger and brings the audience on a huge emotional journey. Act One was good, but Act Two was grand.

LaChiusa did, however, do a brilliant job of tying all three stories together, making a seamless whole that will make you laugh, cry, and think.

---------------------------------
*For a note: Rashomon is the story of a man servant who was just dismissed from his job, after no longer being needed. He takes shelter in a large gate where dead bodies and bandits can often be found. (The run-down gate that used to guard Kyoto is called Rashomon). Through most of the story, this man ponders hi life and is existence until noticing a faint light and some smoke coming from out of the gate. He fears it may be some evil people there, but when he checks it out discovers an old woman stealing hair off of dead bodies. Without giving away the ending, the story deals with the perception of what is right, fair, and just.

The Color Purple below
Updated On: 11/20/05 at 02:01 AM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 2:14am

I just want to give a little side note before writing my actual review. Some of you most likely already know this, for those of you who don’t – I think it is important to know where I am coming from when I review this show. As it has been playing for a while, I feel this review is not so much to encourage or discourage people from seeing SWIWS, but rather to just work out all the thoughts I have about this show.

As most of you know, LaChiusa is one of my favorite, if not my favorite, composer. Up until now I have only read his scripts and listened to recordings of his shows, never seeing one of his works live. It is somewhat disappointing because his scores, no matter what you may think about the music, lose something on the recordings. Getting this special chance (yes, special) to see SWIWS live meant a whole lot to me.

Furthermore, not only was I finally seeing a LaChiusa show live, but I have to say I was happy to see Idina. Now, I have been waiting since June – when this show was first announced with Marc Kudisch – to see the show. While I do enjoy watching Idina perform, this is not so much the reason I was happy she was in SWIWS.

I discovered, and am not ashamed to admit it, LaChiusa through Idina. In short, some one sent me Idina singing “The Life of the Party” from Lippa’s “The Wild Party.” And, without any more details, I moved from one TWP to the other (LaChiusa’s) and fell in love with his work.

So, in a weird way, it was very surreal for me to watch Idina perform LaChiusa’s music. I know it is somewhat hard to understand, but that is the case.

With all that in mind, it was difficult to form a proper opinion of this show. I admit going in, I was going to like the music no matter what. It is one of those things where I can’t truly judge LaChiusa’s music because I have been, in a roundabout way, studying it (in fact, I am doing a large research paper on one of his shows).

A second thing I wanted to state is that, before seeing the show, I “prepared” myself by reading “Rashomon, and Other Short Stories” by Ryunosuke Akutagawa – something I recommend to everyone.






Updated On: 11/20/05 at 02:14 AM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 2:23am

THE COLOR PURPLE

I wasn't going to review it, but just had a few things to say:

The house lights dim, and an announcement is made: "The role of Celie will be played by Kenita R. Miller." There had been no slip or anything. The audience groans...by the end of the show, Kenita received a standing ovation, as she was in tears. The girl was beyond amazing - not only in the singing department, but in the acting department as well. To think she is only an understudy...makes you wonder how good LaChanze must be...

Some of the more dramatic points in the show seemed spoiled by the direction - most notably at the beginning when Mister gets rid of Nettie and the end (won't spoil it).


***SORT OF A SPOILER***


Another thing, maybe it is because of Kenita's short stature, but her children seemed too old to be hers. They looked more like her parents than her own children.


***END SPOILER***

Anyway, I enjoyed the show immensely...I think it is definitely the show to beat. The music, at times, gets repetitive, but we are given some nice melodies (such as "Push Da Botton") and the beautiful "The Color Purple (Reprise)" (which is Celie's version).

I have never read the book (well, not yet) or seen the movie, but I thought Felicia P. Fields as Sofia and Elisabeth Withers-Mendes as Shug Avery two amazing performance that should earn them both (if not one of them) a Tony nod - at the very least.

P.S. one of the funniest things ever - "Any Little Thing" Sophia and Harpo's duet.

P.P.S. I love the three church ladies (and then when they are the Afrcan women). Hilarious!

I really had a great time at this show, despite some of the anti-climatic direction.
Updated On: 11/20/05 at 02:23 AM

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 2:37am

BSo, I worship your reviewing skills.



(Were those the exact words I was supposed to say?)

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 2:58am

BSoBW,

That was incredibly well-written review. Kudos.

Akiva

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 8:20am

Superb reviews, darling.

[Marlene]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 10:01am

*golf claps*

[WesternSky2]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 12:26pm

Great reviews, as always.

Push da button, push da button!

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 1:58pm

Thanks guys!

For you Idina fans, I saw the show last NIGHT - there were maybe 25-30 people there waiting, calmly and were VERY respective.

Idina came out pretty late, but signed and took pictures for everyone - was very generous...She was laughing and was accomodating - made sure pictures came out OK, etc.

I think her sister was there - who has a very similar face to Idina.

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 2:41pm

awww..so glad you liked color purple!

[xoxRogue]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 2:52pm

Terrific review!

"Push da button, push da button!"
::dies:: XD

"You gotta push it if you wanna come in"
I wonder if that's literal....HAHA XD

BOOK QUOTE TIME!
"Button? Finger and tongue?"

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 3:03pm

"You gotta push it if you wanna come in"
I wonder if that's literal....HAHA XD

Well, it IS SHUG AAAAAAAAAAAAv'ry (love that tune)


P.S. - SWIWS - everyone kept talking about 'Gloryday' being the best song of the show - and indeed it was. But, to me, the most haunting song was Mary Testa's "There Will Be a Miracle" Updated On: 11/20/05 at 03:03 PM

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 3:06pm

i read the book, and a girl's "button" is a little girl thing i dont know about (yet! :) )
but yeah, in the book shug is looking at celie's "button", and makes her push it, and yeah, it is sorta strange...
but yeah, the song is good, i get it more now after the book!

and in the beginning of the color purple song, the "dear god, dear stars, dear trees..." part is all from the book too :)

ill talk about it more later if anyone wants

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 3:08pm

The show's curtain begins with her first diary entry...and the second act curtain has Nettie's letter on it (that she says out loud at the end of Act One).

OH!

Marc said the recording of SWIWS should be released in January, I think.

[xoxRogue]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 3:12pm

Thanks for the recording info.

I'm really interested to see how they do the African scenes, well, actually the entire thing.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 3:15pm

I enjoyed the choreography A LOT during the African scenes - and the costumes were brilliant. There was a little "running joke" I won't ruin it (though I thnk I did already earlier) in the scenes that brought the house down with laughter.

The one thing that I didn't like was when the "war" started...the dramatic effect was lacking and felt very rushed.

I hope they change the "end" of the show...all the effect was completely lost. Oh, well.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 3:30pm

they have the first diary entry on the CURTAIN? whoa there... did they revise it at all? i just remember it being how she was raped, and i dont know, but it doesnt seem like a very "welcoming" curtain...
okay

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 3:35pm

it was just the beginning of it:

Dear God,
I am fourteen years old. I am I have always been a good girl. Maybe you can give me a sign letting me know what is happening to me.

Just like that. It's also one of Celie's many monolgoues that she says - with the "I am...I have always been..."

[xoxRogue]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 3:40pm

"I hope they change the "end" of the show...all the effect was completely lost. Oh, well."

I already don't like the ending of the novel. I mean, it all builds up and then it's like, ok, it's all good now. Let's end this story.(Though I don't know how it should have ended...."

And the "Dear God, Dear stars, dear tress, dear sky, dear peoples. Dear Everything. Dear God." is the first line in the last letter of the novel.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 3:41pm

oh, okay, thats good, cuz in the book, then entry continues with "one day" then bla bla bla "and he stuck his thing up my ****, and grabbed my titties" and im like WHOA THERE, DONT PUT THAT ON A CURTAIN!!!! :O

okay :)

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 6:48pm

"
I already don't like the ending of the novel. I mean, it all builds up and then it's like, ok, it's all good now. Let's end this story.(Though I don't know how it should have ended...." "

Maybe. But the moment just got lost...oh, well.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 7:00pm

Are the African scenes still running for over 17 hours?

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 7:14pm

Only 15 now. They were quite long...but entertaining nonetheless.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 9:27pm

Some more:

There's a song in act 2 called "With These Hands" sung by Mister, to give him a softer side. Past the first verse or so, it happens to be a great song. However, it is very awkwardly placed. It is one of the songs that makes one think this should not be a musical. It's one of those typical "break out and sing" soungs. I actually felt embarrassed for the actor playing Mister...

There were a few more of those.

I must say, however, the show really developed nicely and each character developed beautifully. By the end, we felt we knew each character as well as our own best friend.

It also helps make things - such as Sofia's plight - all the more emotional.

[The Goat]

Posted: 11/20/05 at 11:22pm

Re: "The Color Purple" review. Hummm. I believe Kenita R. Miller was LaChanze's understudy for "Dessa Rose," as I saw her then standing in for LaChanze, and, yes, she was wonderful (as she was in the Paper Mill's "Ragtime"). Looks as if her New York career is becoming limited to being LaChanze's understudy. Well, if I see Ms. Miller instead of LaChanze in "Color Purple" I will begin a campaign to have LaChanze become her understudy from here on in.