My Re-Visit to ALNM with the Replacement Cast. My friend wrote a review:

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 2:44am

Well, I am actually not going to review it again. I will just say that Aaron Lazar was out and his understudy was fantastic and I enjoyed him better than Aaron himself, AND, Elaine Stricth was actually ALOT better, she forgot some lines but she was feeling a lot more comfortable in the show and made up for it with her smile or cute moments. She was alot better than the 1st time I saw her.
Ramona, Erin, Alexander and Leigh Ann stole the show again for me.
But this is NOT about my opinions. It's about my friend's and he wrote a review I might share with you guys since he doesn't post on this board:

NY Theatre - A Little Night Music Replacement Cast (Walter Kerr Theatre)Share. Tuesday at 11:04pm

So a little preface --- I saw this production in London and apart from a fantastic Henrik and a refreshing different and brilliant Charlotte was completely bored to tears.

I saw it in NY because I was curious to see Catherine Zeta-Jones and was slightly less bored, although I didn't care for Erin Davie or Hunter Ryan Herdlicka and couldn't see what the fuss with them was about.

Now here I am seeing it a third time, because I can't NOT see Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch in something. I read in a bunch of reviews that the rest of the cast 'upped their game' but I didn't notice any change in the other performances. The understudy for Magnus was totally boring. Anyway I have five thoughts to share below:

- I completely forgot how much I adored Leigh Ann Larkin's delivery of The Miller's Son. And I feel I may need to buy the recording just to hear it a few more times. Love her.

- I remember thinking Ramona Mallory was a poor man's excuse for Bernadette. And she is even more so when sharing the stage with her. However this generally worked as Frederick's fascination with the younger, prettier (stupider and more annoying) version of the love of his life made some whacked out sense.

- Elaine Stritch. I enjoyed her thoroughly, even though her memory for her lines was worse than Angela's - and she kind of reminded me of John McCain. Although she didn't fit the show at all.

- Bernadette Peters. Yes, her delivery of Send in the Clowns was worth seeing. The rest of the show she was enjoyable but completely overmugged everything, and didn't seem to fit the character at all.

So a little Stritch Peters music. I enjoyed myself far more than I did the first two times, however this was definitely not A Little Night Music. This puts me in a quandary because I tend to be of the opinion that the work comes first...but when a production is as excessively underdirected, and has more pauses than spoken word...sometimes its not so bad to have the stars chew the scenery.

That said if we DO finally get a 'best replacement' tony award this year and it goes to Bernadette (who got ROBBED for gypsy) instead of Marin (who was robbed several times), I will be a bit sick to my stomach.

-Greg-

Updated On: 8/5/10 at 02:44 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 2:45am

Why did you need to make a new thread again?

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 2:46am

and she kind of reminded me of John McCain.

LMAO. where do you come up with these things?

Well, I am actually not going to review it again.

But you did "review" it again anyway, lol. Updated On: 8/5/10 at 02:46 AM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 2:52am

Dear, I said some comments in comparisson with the 1st time I saw the replacement cast. The review was written by my friend Greg.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 2:55am

Oops. Well when I first read it, it was not signed "Greg."

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 2:58am

I edited it right after I posted it, sorry. I gotta give it to you though, you're quite fast!

[metsfan]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 3:19am

There's a reason his username isn't "brain23ftl".

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 4:34am

I didn't even write the review and I'm getting insults?

I think the one that doesn't have a brain NOR knows how to read is you metsfan...

Anyways, I partly agree with me not being smart...I don't even know why I bother sharing my friend's review with a bunch of mean people like yourself.

Updated On: 8/5/10 at 04:34 AM

[ArtMan]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 10:14am

Muscle....I don't know you nor ever spoke to you. I have read various threads where some people were down right nasty to you. My advice to you is ...don't let a bunch of pimply bullies ever second guess yourself. By admitting to what you may feel is not one of your strengths..is allowing them to win. The best way to deal with bullies is to stand up to them. Just my opinion. Art

[theeatah]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 10:53am

Interesting review. Thanks for posting :)

Posted: 8/5/10 at 11:05am

So you see a show you disliked THREE times so you can bitch about how much you dislike it....

Theater queens!!!

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 2:04pm

"So you see a show you disliked THREE times so you can bitch about how much you dislike it....

Theater queens!!!"


I LOVED the show! I never once said I disliked the show? Why don't you READ?

Posted: 8/5/10 at 4:58pm

"completely bored to tears...was slightly less bored...couldn't see what the fuss with them was about....Now here I am seeing it a third time, because I can't NOT see Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch in something."

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 5:03pm

It appears Greg, who wrote the review, saw the show 3 times. Not muscle.

[Kad]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 6:16pm

Muscle has seen it three times. Once with the original cast, twice with the replacement.

Posted: 8/5/10 at 6:35pm

Either, both, whatever. Seeing a show you hate-dislike-are bored by-three times is insane.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 6:42pm

Why do you expect from Muscle??

[westycenterstagejack]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 7:45pm

I'm a gigantic, monstrous fan of A Little Night Music (especially this BEAUTIFUL revival) and a huge fan of Bernadette Peters, but she just does NOT feel right at ALL at Desiree.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 7:47pm

^ Did you see her yet? Or just basing your opinion on clips and pictures? Just curious.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 1:18am

I had to see the original Broadway Cats 5 times because my best friend was in it.

But the last two times I popped a Quaalude, so they don't count.

(It was the 80s. What can I say?)

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 3:17am

I saw the show 3 times, one time with CZJ because I could barely afford to pay what they charged with her...and twice with BP. I LOVE the show.
My friend Greg saw it in London, and then saw it twice on Bway. I have never been to London unfortunately.

Guys, learn to read...it's about time!

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 11:27am

I saw CZJ twice and thought she was wonderful in the role, but I have now seen BP and think she is simply perfect, so I certainly don't agree that she "doesn't feel right" in the part. But, this is art, and we're all entitled to our own opinions. To me, Bernadette brings so much of the realization, as ths show proceeds, of how the important things in life have passed her by, exactly as they had passed her mother by, as evidenced by Mme.'s "wooden ring" speech at the end. Ah, but then...sublime and uplifting.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 3:58am

I felt that BP was reading her lines, there was no feeling.
Catherine might have overacted, but her lines were said with great pizzahzz, and that is gone with her replacement.
Thankfully for me, I have proof and I listen to it on a regular basis. The CD with CZJ is wonderful!

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 1:43pm

I want to say that the best part of this show are the ensemble...great voices, the opening part and the vocalizing it's my favorite part. It steals the thunder from some of the big numbers.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/8/10 at 1:01am

I would love to hear Mc Cain singing "Liasons"