Taking a look back at LA CAGE...

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/25/05 at 12:17pm

With its closing upon us...here was my original review from December and my re-review comments from April. Enjoy & Long Live LA CAGE AUX FOLLES!

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"LA CAGE AUX FOLLES"

"Blissfully Brilliant and Beautifully Beguiling only begin to describe the most enjoyable evening of theatre one can have when they visit “La Cage Aux Folles”! Rarely do musicals nail every facet with splendiferous glory the way “La Cage…” does! With performances by stage veterans and virtual newcomers alike; edge of your seat spellbinding fun is had from the appetizer all the way through dessert. From the opening strains of the old fashioned overture to the final bows, the Marquis theatre is filled with spirit and soul once more.

That invigorating spirit will follow any theatergoer and have them humming tunes like “I Am What I Am” and “The Best of Times” for days on end. With music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, the score is as fresh today as it was in 1983. Soaring in places at all the right times, Herman created with “La Cage…” a musical theatre masterpiece that will be lighting up the Great White Way for years to come.

The book by former “Hairspray” and soon to be “Fiddler on the Roof” star, Harvey Fierstein, is laughable in all the right ways. Based on the French film of the same name, “La Cage…” is a energetic and inspirational revelry. Two middle-aged homosexual partners, Albin and Georges, run a drag club in which Albin is the star. However, their gay tranquility turns to utter havoc when their son, Jean-Michelle returns to tell his proud parents he is getting married and that the soon to be brides father is the leader of the morals crusade in town. From that moment on chaos ensues between everyone and what happens next triggers shockwaves through the rest of the evening.

An evening this full of color, glitz, and glamour is so easy on the eyes. With a costume design by Tony winner William Ivey Long, the radiant display of gorgeousness among La Cagelles is not only visually stunning, but also a marvel as to how the actors are actually dancing the way they are in those costumes.

And speaking of dancing, it is a sin that Jerry Mitchell has never won a Tony award for any of his past work, however, his loosing streak stops here. Also choreographing this seasons “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” Mitchell is sure to walk away with gold. After watching the opening “We Are What We Are” and the especially “La Cage” number, anybody who says dance on Broadway is dead is a true fool.

And only I am the fool for not mentioning the brilliant cast any earlier, but with so much goodness in one show, it is hard to know where to begin. Unlike any other production of “La Cage…”, Albin, portrayed here with rousing virtuosity by “The Producers” Gary Beach seems inferior in some sense to his counter part Georges. Why? Due to the brilliant talent and timing of “The Nanny” and recent “The Frogs” star Daniel Davis. His Georges is so caring, so thoughtful, so intelligent, and so bewitching that this time around the underdog rises above and comes out on top. It hardly changes the dynamic of the show, and even if it does so ever so slightly the show is better off for it. Come Tony time there will be a lot of competition from John Lithgow, Norbert Leo Butz, Tim Curry, David Hyde Pierce, Hank Azaria, and possibly B.D. Wong, but to leave Davis off the roster would be a travesty to not only this talented actor and “La Cage…”, but Broadway as well.

Two performers who are sure to score Featured Actor nods are the ever loveable and Tony nominated Gavin Creel from “Thoroughly Modern Millie” as Jean-Michelle and the surprising break-out star, Michael Benjamin Washington as Jacob. Anyone who knows the musical might not even remember a Jacob, but Washington turns his role as Maid/Butler into a farce unlike any other and deserves high praise for it.

Praise also goes to director Jerry Zaks; most recently the director of “Little Shop of Horrors” for giving the Marquee theatre “a true nightclub feel.” With such a great space that has housed other Broadway greats like “Victor/Victoria”, “Annie, Get Your Gun” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” Zaks takes full advantage of the entire theatre, and isn’t afraid to use the isle-ways as entrances and exits, most effectively after Gary Beach sings the show’s anthem “I Am What I Am” at the end of Act 1.

By the end of the evening, the full theatre standing ovation is not only a great tribute to the actors on stage, but a well deserved one at that. “La Cage Aux Folles” is well worth top dollar. With such a lack of musicals this fall, it is good to know Broadway has a show that will not only entertain but educate at the same time. Twelve out of Ten Stars! BRAVO!"
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"It was BEYOND a JOY and the HIGHLIGHT of my Theatre Season! ONE HELL OF A SHOW! Those Girls/Boys - WHATEVER they are were UN-F***ing believeable! Gary Beach has GROWN LEAPS AND BOUNDS from where he started in November and it FINALLY shows! While I will admit that I did prefer Daniel Davis' Georges, this production is much better suited for Robert Goulet. It just ISNT time to find the inner meaning yet Danny - you were years beyond your time and I applaud you for it! Goulet on the other hand, is dashing, yes a bit too old (but who really cares), the man can sing like he is 40 again! WHAT A VOICE! My God! He sure as hell knows where each and every single Money Note* is and he SHINES in all of his songs! Davis' Song On The Sand was an anthem in its own, Goulets fits this musical to a tea! No Diva moments pulled here, but a true performer! I do love you Daniel, and hope you recover from whatever the trouble may have been - but Goulet, if he gave the performance he gave tonight to each of the critics this weekend - will be Lauded On Broadway as the best thing since sliced Bread! And wow, what it does for Gary's performance as ZaZa/Albin! He is soooooooo dead on now and hits every height (except for that entirely too rushed version of I AM WHAT I AM) that you want to just run up on stage and kiss him!

Ruth Williamson is still turning in the most consistant performance of the entire cast and does it will great vigor. Michael Benjiman Washington is robbed if he doesnt garner a Tony Nom and Gavin Creel has a voice that could put a Lion to sleep!

BRAVO LA CAGE! YOU DID IT! And after witnessing tonights show, YOU WILL WIN A TONY FOR BEST REVIVAL! ONE MILLION PERCENT!"

Posted: 6/25/05 at 12:23pm

I always wondered what Jerry Herman was up to these days. Great, unbiased review, Jerry.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/25/05 at 12:28pm

Oh please, can all of you nay-sayers just let us FANS enjoy the final performance?!?! Please...

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 6/25/05 at 12:39pm

Great review.

I had the pleasure of seeing Gary and Robert at the City Hall Pride Festival on Thursday night... what gracious gentlemen.

I've seen the new incarnation of La Cage twice, once in previews and opening night, and LOVED both times.

[Ann_Margrock]

Posted: 6/25/05 at 1:39pm

Wow LaCage! Great reviews! Enjoy the last performance! Too bad it wasn't recorded for posterity.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/25/05 at 1:41pm

Ann - From your lips to God's ears!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/25/05 at 1:41pm

The firing of Daniel Davis.....

Ahh, good times.

[arishmoof]

Posted: 6/25/05 at 2:10pm

oh i loved that show, its a real shame theyre closing. shame they fired davis too... glad jerry mitchell got his tony! too bad william ivey long didnt get his tony... anyway it was a great show and im going to miss it. seriously ann, too bad they didnt record it i think this is the first show ive ever seen that didnt have a cast album. i shall never again hear gavin croon "anne on my arm" (unless anyone has a bootleg theyd like to let me know about...)

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/25/05 at 3:15pm

The shift key is your friend. Try using it.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/25/05 at 7:55pm

Oh Diva...you never seem to amaze.

[Albin]

Posted: 6/25/05 at 8:01pm

Fan, question for you. When I saw the show in May, the overture as heard on the ocr was used as the entr'acte. The actual overture was very short. Did they use the ocr overture for the revival opening night?

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/25/05 at 8:26pm

Yes, the Overture for the OBC is used here as the Entr'acte and there is a new Overture in place. I dont recall it being all that short (shorter than the entr'acte yes). Does anyone know if the in the orginal there was an Entr'acte, because that VERY SLIM recording doesnt reveal a hell of a lot.