Justice's Ragtime experience...

[Justice]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 9:04am

Many reviews have been posted on this show, and many have raved. Well, this won't be one of them.

I have to say, Ragtime is my all-time favorite show, and, to me, it stands on its own. No matter what production I see, I love this show, and I love that I saw it, as I don't think I would miss any company doing this show...but, i can also see past the bias, and know a bad from good production, and in my personal opinion, this production was mediocre...in MANY ways...

1. Let's start with the minimalizing. That part didn't bother me. The cast had wonderful voices, and when singing together, you would never have known that it was down-sized. But, there were moments that were lost, in a sense where you kinda have to ask yourself, "Where was the director going with this?" For instance, during Atlantic City, everyone comes out to dance (minimally, of course)...with a piano. It's really hard to believe that there is a piano on a beach, where they were supposed to be. Did I lose the meaning of this directorial p.o.v.?
Evelyn Nesbitt, without her swing, worked very well, as it was worked into the choreography (which was Wonderful). And I can't even complain about the model T. But throughout the show, it came to my mind that this was a show that used more chairs than actors. It felt like a show about chairs...
If you're going to minimalize something, don't minimalize it by trying to make a grand spectacle of it.

2. The cast. Rachel York is always wonderful, because she's, well, Rachel York. But there was so much that didn't work for her in this role, even though her "Back to Before" was amazing. I never saw her grow...or even felt her grow. But, i don't blame that on Rachel. I blame it on the director, as, to me, a lot of lines fell flat with the other performers, in many ways. i.e.
Grandfather: Do you know any coon songs?
Coalhouse: Coon songs are made for Minstrel shows. White men sing them in black face.
In this production, Coalhouse expresses it to grandfather as if it had no effect what so ever. As if the comment was not a racist or offensive remark, but like explaining to a child that it's pronounced Orangutan, and not Orangutang.
The beach:
When Tateh reveals himself to mother
Mother: Well, now I don't know what to say.
No reaction from her. It felt as if she had never known the previous Tateh, and that line meant nothing.
Then,
When Tateh responds with his "Well", he did it nothing like Mother, in a different expression that made it sound like it made no sense, or more like, falling flat...
Basically, there was absolutely no chemistry between them.
And many of the other actors gave disapointing performances as well.
Kenita Miller was wonderful as Sarah, and Evelyn Nesbitt was great, too...
And the Little Girl was also great, (I've packed away my program, so I can't look at the actors names right now)as I really believed that she was hurt and truly crying when Tateh fell on her.

Everyone else, I found a problem with at least one point in the show. (They couldn't have gotten a more "Over the top" Houdini, who not only was O.T.T. as Houdini, but as his doubled roles..he was "Too" noticable...which, in my opinion, did not work for the actor.)

Honestly, I went into this show not expecting to see a Huge Spectacle, because I had read the reviews, but, on that same token, I read the reviews, so I was expecting to be blown away. Didn't happen. And it didn't happen for other audience members, because practically the whole row where I was sitting left at intermission.

I'm really not trying to be overcritical, because there were some things I liked. As I mentioned earlier, the voices were phenomenal...from everyone, and the choreography was great. My favorite number in this production was "What a Game", as that was staged very well.

But, to be honest, I felt like I was watching community theatre, with mediocre actors who have great voices...

[nmartin]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 9:25am

It is so refreshing to read a review on this board that is actually balanced and makes intelligent observations.

[Ann_Margrock]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 12:20pm

Thank you Justice for that review. Sorry you were let down by this production seeing as "Ragtime" is one of your favorite shows.

[Justice]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 4:21pm

A part of me doesn't feel let down in a sense that i'm glad I got to see what everyone was talking about. My curiosity was answered. At the same time, this was the last show i will be seeing in the Tri-State area before my move to LA, and I wanted to really Love this production. I guess I was somewhat expecting a little too much. Regardless, I saw Rachel York perform again, and (even if I prefer Marin's Mother...and Marin's replacements Mother - can't rememeber her name..I wanna say Donna Blakesly, but I think I'm wrong) It was worth it for me to hear Rachel sing "Back to Before".

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 5:57pm

"...it came to my mind that this was a show that used more chairs than actors. It felt like a show about chairs... "


Hmmm...sounds like the director of this production was trying to cross it with Tommy Tune's GRAND HOTEL!

I think that approach could work for RAGTIME but it requires more from the actors than what it sounds like they were giving.

[LucilleAndLeoFrank]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 6:01pm

Marin Mazzie's replacement was Donna Bullock.

Thank you for your review. I see the show next weekend, and I have been fortuante enough to read some great comments about the show (both positive and negative).

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 6:03pm

Just wanted to give my opinion on the exchange between Coalhouse and Grandfather. Coalhouse did not get angry, and as you said, said it calmly and patiently. I thought it was a great choice on the actor's part -- I got the feeling that many people have asked him to play "coon" songs, and he is used to the question. Coalhouse is a patient and understanding man (at least until Sarah's death), and I thought it worked wonderfully and was completely in character.

[Justice]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 4:06pm

About Coalhouse's line..I didn't get wht you got. I got an actor who didn't understand what he was saying. It is supposed to be a "slap in the face" answer, which the words alone make it out to be calm and patient. It's how you say it...but by throwing it out the way he did, the meaning behind what he is saying is lost. I've seen this...all with different Coalhouse's, and I've only seen two (Mitchell and Alton Fitzgerald White) get not only the line right...but also the character of Coalhouse right (Yet, Mitchell should be excluded from that because he created the character on stage.) The third was a high school boy, and this latest performance was equivelant in acting to that high school kid...which is not a compliment.
One can't argue on the actor's choice on how he says a line...but if it's poignant or profound, it should be a line that is brought to attention. Darrington's wasn't, as he said it and went right into "This is called Ragtime" - not even a beat to let the audience reflect on what he had just said.

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 4:21pm

How was Younger Brother? I think that's an incredible role.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 4:29pm

"One can't argue on the actor's choice on how he says a line"

Why not? We both got something different out of his delivery of the line. I think it's a valid interpretation, you don't.

Younger Brother (Shonn Wiley) was excellent.

[observer]

Posted: 6/28/05 at 12:31am

I'm with you, Gov. Though I did not see this version, I think Coalhouse's lne is more for audience edification than Grandfather's. G would be the right age to have been a Civil War vet, and would seem to have seen it all. And after all, Coalhouse is a guest in a white family's home in 190x; he would likely be more than a little ill at ease and mindful of manners, even if the question seemed troubling. I actually believe it was meant as an icebreaker by Grandfather, and taken as such, though corrected, by Coalhouse. The OBC recording seems to reflect a respectful response by CH, too. We inject today's values into historical situations too often. I believe the portrayal described would trend more to how such an interaction might have been in the day.

A separate question on the performance; did they leave in "He Wanted to Say"? I remember reading how some directors are electing to leave that song out, as Act 2 is pretty long, heavy on anthems, and the only real plot advancement is Brother's, "I know how to blow things up."

[Justice]

Posted: 6/28/05 at 1:48am

Yes "He Wanted to Say" is still in. I think I would HATE the show if they left out that song, as I think it is not only meaningful - but to repeat the first Trio with three different characters is musical genius. I would leave the show feeling empty had that song not been in it.