Grey Gardens- Great Story/Bad Musical

[queenbee2]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 12:47pm

Hi all.
Been away for a while. Had to take a break from the boards, as I'm sure some of you can relate.
But I finally saw a show last night (first one in a while- DAMN you work!), and figured I might as well rear (reer? wrear???) my little head again.

Grey Gardens. Okay. Great story. Really great. Fascinating.

Bad musical.

As a show, I just didn't get it. I found myself completely interested in learning more about these two women, but wanting less and less to be in the theater. Does that make any sense? Theatrically, I just didn't think it worked.
Of course the two women were unbelievable in the roles. And I could watch them read the phone book to one another if I had to. But the show just never seemed to flow.

Happy to learn about this story I knew nothing about.

Happy to watch two incredible performances.

Always happy to watch Mr. Cavenaugh looking cute on stage.

Not so happy with the show.

But I am anxious to rent the documentary now.

That's all for now.
Seeing Jersey Boys again this Friday. I loved it last time and trust it will be just as good. And then I have to wait for Pirate Queen first week of previews.

Happy to be back in the theater. And reading the boards again.

-QBee
Updated On: 2/14/07 at 12:47 PM

Posted: 2/14/07 at 12:49pm

im sorry you didnt like it- make the title more specific next time.

Posted: 2/14/07 at 12:49pm

im sorry you didnt like it- make the title more specific next time.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 12:54pm

QBee -- I can sort of relate to your feelings. Let the piece grow on you. I'm sort of obsessed with it now. Get the cast recording and try to relive the experience. You're correct, the performances (across the board) are amazing. Like you, the show made me want to know more about these interesting women. I still haven't viewed the documentary, but I'm going to. I do feel there is a very STRANGE feeling to the work, but these were very bizarre women. It's not the best piece of theatre, overall, that I've ever seen, but (IMO) it is more than you might get through first impressions.

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 12:59pm

I really think one needs to watch GG before seeing the show--just my two cents--worth less than that. And also watching the commentaries by John Bartlett and Todd Oldham help you give you an insight into its cult status. It's certainly not for everyone.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 12:59pm

"Seeing Jersey Boys again this Friday. I loved it last time and trust it will be just as good. "

Its still amazing.

[FosseForever3]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 1:05pm

lildogs: I agree with you. I definately believe if you had rented the documentary FIRST you would have walked away from the show loving it. Now, I'm not a die-hard Grey Gardens fan, but just seeing the film and THEN seeing the show made me appreciate the musical even more (does that make sense?)

I'm glad you enjoyed the performances as much as I did!!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 1:06pm

GREY GARDENS is one of the best new musicals of the past 10 years.

[purpleprince101]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 1:08pm

i totally agree

[RevolutionaryCostume]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 7:11pm

I think Grey Gardens is the best musical I've seen/heard of in a long time.

I think it combines the classic form of songwriting from older musicals with the dramatics and intelligence of modern musical theatre.

It's not nearly as flashy as Phantom or Wicked, but that's something I love about it. It avoid the glitz and glamour and goes straight to the heart of the story.

Not only is it hilarious at times, but it is also the only show that has ever actually produced tears from me.

So yeah, add me to the "lovin' it" list

~~Jacob.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 7:37pm

GREY GARDENS is the best new musical of this season so far.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 8:15pm

See I'm opposite. I think it's a great musical, amazingly well written by people who have absolute mastery of the form, and a fundamentally unmoving (and even a little uninteresting) story.

It's a musical stuck in stasis about people stuck in stasis. Still, boy, is it well written. The cool thing about Grey Gardens is that all the things perceptably wrong with it were risks the authors chose to take that pay off. It's exactly what they are trying for it to be.

It has a lot of transcendent moments and a handful of beautiful performances but the whole affair leaves you with an ethereal fleeting feeling (which again may be the point). It's kind of an undramatic show because it's about two people feeling nostalgic for the lives they've already lived and I'm not sure exactly what I'm supposed to take from the show. I'm still not really sure why I'm supposed to care about the Beales aside from that they are interesting campy eccentrics. The Follies comparisons are endless but really, it's a less compelling Follies.

I don't think the show lives or dies by its audience of fans of the documentary, but I do see how a familiarity with or a fondness for the Beales would make this show a better experience.

Ultimately I like Grey Gardens better as a cast recording and as an example of musical theater writing than as a theatrical experience.

Which isn't to say it's a bad theatrical experience... I really liked it, I would go to it again before most things. I agree that it's one of the better musicals we've seen in the last decade, it pushed the form, blah blah, but I'm not in the fanatics camp. I had the cast recording for a while before I actually saw it though so maybe I went in and it had a sort of diluted impact.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 8:18pm

An enjoyable show but not the greatest thing since sliced bread to warrant seeing it a gazillion times as some on the board have done

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 8:24pm

I gave Grey Gardens a chance because of the rave reviews and to see Christine. I left very disappointed. I'm not saying that it wasn't well written. However, the majority of songs did NOTHING for me. The first act was beautiful, but it was completely disjointed from the second act. It was like watching two very expensive one acts. I was disappointed by Christine in the first act. She is a very talented singer, but the writing for the character in the first act left much to be desired. I felt like the second act was completely a different story; she was amazing as Little Edie and drew me in.

There were two songs that I enjoyed - Revolutionary Costume and Another Winter in a Summer Town. I didn't open the cast album before I saw the show, and I did return it to the store when I returned from New York. While the songs may have grown on me, there are too many cast albums that I will play over and over until I have to replace them.

Did I feel that it was a waste of an evening? No, wonderful performances from all involved, but in my opinion it was the direction and writing that weakened the over all production.

Updated On: 2/14/07 at 08:24 PM

[Sammy2]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 11:42pm

Agree with all of those who admired the performances but didn't think that the story worked as a musical. I can't believe I spent $100 bucks to hear a song called "Jerry Likes My Corn."

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 11:49pm

JERRY LIKES MY CORN is an exceptional work of music and story telling.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/14/07 at 11:54pm

A flawed show? Yes, but a wonderful and detailed study of characters and relationships. Extremely well written in my opinion. Not the best thing since white bread but good enough and intriguing enough for me to see it multiple times.
I knew nothing of the Beals before seeing it and left the theatre with a sense of suffocation. When the Grey Gardens set moved forward after Another Winter in a Summer Town, I felt as if it engulfed me. I was entrapped as much as Little Edie. A sad melancoly feeling yet somehow uplifting. It has been a very long time since a show has done that to me.
I went and bought the documentary, watched it and went to the show a second time. Knowing the source material made the show all the more layered for me. I am looking forward to going back in a few weeks.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 12:40am

Agreed again, SNAFU.

I went into GREY GARDENS thinking I was going to hate it.

Half way through Act II, I found myself strangely moved and wrapped up in the musical. Not the story of these women - I had already known their story - but the way it was presented in the musical. It's brilliant.

Mr. Roxy: Type MORE like a 5th grader.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 7:28am

Nice to be perfect like you MUNK

Shame you are so full of yourself - among other things

Take an extra dose of nasty pills today or is that normally you? I assume the latter

Updated On: 2/15/07 at 07:28 AM

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 7:41am

I'd been given the CD for Christmas and listened to it often - fell in love with the score and found it really fascinating - then last night, saw it for the first time and it solidified all of my feelings about what I had heard. I think it is a brilliant show, and I am one who has NOT seen the documentary (though now it is definitely on my list). There seems to be nothing Christine Ebersol cannot do with her voice - she has a magnificent instrument, and her range of emotion on stage is incredible. The show is wonderfully funny, and terribly heartbreaking...I simply loved every moment of it.

Posted: 2/15/07 at 7:44am

i love it like family.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 7:46am

=( Updated On: 2/15/07 at 07:46 AM

[pianoman215]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 7:56am

Broadwayismylife, this is the original poster's post - he can title it what he wants. Who are you to tell him to do anything in relation to his post - the posting police?? I just love how people love to tell others on here what to do, how to do it and when to do it.

[FranklinShepard-Inc.]

Posted: 2/15/07 at 9:55am

I cannot judge on the show as a whole, but the score is brillant, love it a lot!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 2/20/07 at 9:24am

I don't know why I'm picking this thread, but it's as good as any.

I saw the show for a second time Friday evening, and am glad I did. I've been wondering what I missed with Ebersole's performance, and wanted to give her another shot, as most seem to think she's giving a "legendary" performance.

Well, I didn't see anything more than I saw the first time. I think she's VERY GOOD. I don't think she's giving a legendary performance, I think there are a few actresses who could do the role as much justice as she is.

That said, I found Erin's performance to have improved greatly, and this is from someone who loved her the first time around. Her Little Edie is less meek, more strong and more of a precursor to the second act Little Edie. Mary Louise Wilson is still brilliant, and I would consider her a lead, not featured, but I know for the Tonys they won't want them competing against each other.