My friend won the next to normal lotto this afternoon, and I agreed to accompany her. Shortly after, we found out Jessica Phillips would be on as Diana. If anyone here has followed my posts, you know that I'd seen her go on the night after the Tonys and absolutely hated her. At the time, I felt I was justified in using words like "disaster", "horrendous", and "train wreck" to describe her performance.
So, I went in to the matinee today with a lot of trepidation. However, after watching her performance this afternoon, I am pleased to do almost a 180 on her. I thought she was, for the most part, spectacular today.
Gone is the silly British accent, the smiling during I Miss the Mountains, the weird head bobbing during I Am the One. She's toned down the goofiness, and is now giving a really fantastic performance.
Her act 2 is absolutely flawless. From the moment she says, "And who are you?", I was with her. Just incredibly touching all the way through the second act. She knocks the music box scene out of the park. She brought a lot of depth and emotion to that scene, and actually looked she understood what was happening, as opposed to staring blankly like she did last time. To say that I was blown away by her in act 2 would be an understatement. She was just fantastic.
I still don't like a few of the choices she makes in act 1. I'm not sold on her rendition of I Miss the Mountains, which has too many "aahhs" for my taste, and she still overacts during Didn't I See this Movie. But, in the grand scheme of things, these are both minor quibbles. She's excellent during I Am The One, since she's no longer bobbing her head back and forth.
Her voice is, as I've always said, very strong. I really enjoyed the way she sang You Don't Know, I Dreamed a Dance, and Maybe.
Act 2 was definitely her stronger act. Like I said, she was flawless in the second act. I'm glad I got to see her again, if for no other reason than to erase the memory I had of her previously.
A friend reminded me of a comment I had made back when I saw her in June. I said that if Jessica Phillips ever improved to the point where I enjoyed her, I would make a $100 donation to Broadway Cares. So, because I'm a man of my word, I wrote the check just a short while ago:
I haven't seen Jessica, but I just wanted to say good for you for going into the 2nd performance with an open mind! Also, good for you for making that donation. I wish I could see Jessica's performance!
I was there today (I was at the lotto too and I lost, but already had tickets anyway) and I when I saw that sheet in the playbill I was so upset, but she was actually really good. I thought her singing was no wear near as good for the part as Alice Pipley's singing, but I loved her acting and how she was a bit more goofy and more out there than Ripley.
Wow, bravo to you for keeping your word and donating to such a good cause. Very admirable. I honestly would be devastated if Alice was out and I had tickets, but I've heard mostly positive things about Jessica and I'm glad you enjoyed her this time around.
Great review! She must've been really amazing to get you to change your mind like that. I would love to see Jessica in the role myself. And what a very nice gesture with the donation.
Talk about literally putting your money where your mouth is. I am glad that you enjoyed her performance and glad you were willing to give her an honest second chance. I feel that it would have been one thing to walk in there with a bad attitude due to the fact that you saw her once a few months ago, didn't like her, and now that you had to see her again you were upset.
However, you were willing to go in there with an open mind. And, you did some great helping out in the process.
"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear"
Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll
2008: Feb. 18- Rent, Feb. 19- Curtains, April 18- Xanadu, April 22- Wicked, April 26- Legally Blonde, May 31- Wicked, June 13- The Little Mermaid, June 28- Wicked and Young Frankenstein, July 2- The Little Mermaid, July 6- A Chorus Line and Legally Blonde, August 16- Xanadu, September 13- Legally Blonde and 13, September 28- Xanadu and Spring Awakening, Oct. 12-GYPSY and [title of show], Oct. 19- Hairspray & Legally Blonde, Nov. 9- Wicked and 13, Dec. 14-13, Dec. 26- Billy Elliot, 2009: Jan 1- Shrek, Jan 2- 13 and Wicked, Jan 4- 13, Feb 17- In The Heights, Feb 19- Billy Elliot, Feb 22- Sweeney Todd (tour), March 28- Mary Poppins, April 4- Mamma Mia!, April 15- Jersey Boys (on tour), April 25- next to normal & 9 to 5
May 1- Billy Elliot, May 3- Spelling Bee (tour), May 8- Chicago, May 21- Wicked, June 6- Everyday Rapture, June 23- The Wiz, June 25- Hair July 15- Shrek, August 9- Wicked, September 7- Rock of Ages, October 11- Next To Normal, October 23- The Marvelous Wonderettes, November 7- Ragtime November 29- Dreamgirls, December 25- Billy Elliot, December 30- Finian's Rainbow, 2010: January 9- Bye Bye Birdie, January 16- Memphis February 17- The Phantom of The Opera, February 18- God of Carnage, March 7- Billy Elliot, March 31- American Idiot