Grey Gardens 4/7 2PM Review w/ Maureen Moore (With Text This Time)

[pippin2]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 12:27am

I was happy to snag a student ticket to this afternoon's performance of Grey Gardens. Having seen the show twice already with Christine Ebersole, I was eager to see standby Maureen Moore's take on this already legendary performance. Fans of the show will be glad to know that Moore does an admirable job tackling the dual roles of Little/Big Edie, bringing her own quirks and nuances to the roles which distinguish her overall performance from Christine's. In Act 1 she does not depart much from Christine's interpretation, portraying Big Edie with the appropriate amount of spunk and pathos. She works wonderfully with the supporting cast, especially John McMartin, Asa Somers (understudy for Bob Stillman) and Erin Davie, all of whom were in fine form as well. Moore's soprano is not as strong as Christine's, so her performance in Act 1 suffers a bit vocally as a result. It is in Act 2 where Moore has formed a new and valid interpretation of Little Edie which differs quite distinctly from Christine's. She portrays Little Edie in a way that is youthful and flirty, as if she is in denial regarding how unhappy she really is. It is an interpretation that almost seems to be an extension of Erin Davie's Little Edie in Act 1. Moore's Little Edie seems less jaded and hopeless than Ebersole's, as if she actually believes there is a way out of her situation. Her Around the World and Another Winter were appropriately heartbreaking, but yet again her upper range is not as pleasing to the ear as Ebersole's. Moore appears to have trouble sustaining Little Edie's accent in Act 2, sounding English at times instead of Long Island. Overall, I think that Moore did a fine job this afternoon. Though I wouldn't call her performance legendary or revelatory, I believe that she proves that there can indeed be life for this show after Ebersole leaves.

PS. I apologize for the 5 versions of this thread, internet was acting fishy.
Updated On: 4/8/07 at 12:27 AM

[D2]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 12:32am

Interesting review. Thanks for sharing, Pippin.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 12:40am

How was Asa Somers?

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 12:46am

Pippin, I also saw the show this week with Moore and agree with your perspectives on her performance in Act II.

In the first act, however, I found her to be much more overtly manipulative and mean, at least as was evinced by the way she actively engages Joe in the story about Little Edie at the swim club. Ebersole's performance suggests a more ambiguous motive for why Edith tells Joe about how Little Edie got her nickname; in Moore's interpretation, Edith is much more clearly using the story to drive a wedge between Joe and her daughter.

This is significant, if only because it helps us to understand how these two characters got to be where they are (i.e., nowhere) in Act II. In fact, there have been several threads on Edith's motivations and what "really" happened that caused these women to spiral downward. Moore's performance leaves little doubt that she sees Edith as a fairly Machiavellian archtype. Not that I didn't like it -- was just different.

In fact, I agree with you that Moore clearly demonstrates that there is room for others to interpret this role when Ebersole departs the production. For what that's worth...
Updated On: 4/8/07 at 12:46 AM

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 2:10am

That is indeed what is wonderful about seeing different people tackle a role--what they each bring. I think Ebersole plays that moment as a chance to protect her daughter from the horrid life she has led seeing that Joe will be just like her husband.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 10:22am

Asa Somers was on as Gould? How was he?

[ashley0139]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 11:35am

That's so interesting to hear the differences! Thank you! I would love to see Moore in the role. Her second act Little Edie sounds especially intriguing.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 3:05pm

what happened to Matt?

Also, I'm sure this is old news now, but what do you think about the Grey Gardens moving their making with Drew Barrymore?

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 3:24pm

Cavenaugh is still in it, doing double duty between GREY GARDENS and AS THE WORLD TURNS.

Regarding Asa Somers: his performance is good, although his George Gould Strong comes across as 15-20 years younger than Bob Stillman's. He also has fewer affectations than Stillman, perhaps because he also covers the role of Joe -- talk about two sides of the spectrum. His singing voice is lovely, too. I liked him, for what that's worth.

[burntplains]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 3:44pm

I saw her this week and I was quite suprised. I actually like her more than ebersole. I think overall she has a much better voice and I felt there was more of a bitterness to her which I enjoyed that much more, in Act 1 anyway.

[bwaygal1]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 4:08pm

Oh, my! I love Christine Ebersole's voice and range, as well as acting ability. I can't imagine how anyone else could be better. (She's perfect for the roles.)
You are, of course, entitled to your opinion. (As I am mine)

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 4:15pm

I don't think I could pick between the two of them. I found them both to be equally wonderful, with different takes on the role.

[pippin2]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 6:13pm

I didn't think much of Asa Somers as Gould. He wasn't at all inadequate, but he certainly wasn't a standout either. The dynamic between Stillman and Ebersole makes Gould a more interesting character to watch than with Moore and Somers; and Stillman's voice sounds beautiful in Drift Away. I also would like to add how wonderful Erin Davie was at yesterday's performance. I have always enjoyed her interpretation of Little Edie in Act 1, and she was especially on yesterday, giving me chills during Daddy's Girl and The Telegram. She does a truly wonderful job prefacing the neurosis of Act 2's Little Edie.
Regarding Moore in Act 1, I do agree that she comes off as a bit more conniving and malicious in her exposing Little Edie's promiscuity to Joe. I recall her being particularly cold in the line where she gives Little Edie the telegram. I like that her actions can be interpreted from a dual perspective. In one way, she is desperately afraid of being alone, thus she destroys her daughter's chance at happiness with Joe. On the other hand, it can be interpreted that Big Edie is protecting her daughter from what will ultimately be a stifling, unhappy marriage because of Joe's political ambitions. I find both interpretations fascinating and truly indicative of the complexity of the relationship these two women shared.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 12:18am

And the great possibility it was both motivations at once.

[allvocal]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 3:07am

Does Asa Sommers play the piano?? Or does he fake it?

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 8:44am

Loved Maureen as Edie (Little and Big respectivley). As others have said, she really made the role her own. I took my family (mom and sister) and they loved Maureen just as much as they did Christine, honestly (I couldn't resist, I'm in such a GG mode right now!). Anyways, it was so fantastic and gahh Maureen was a sweetheart afterwards.Check out the fan photos link: https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewphoto.cfm?id=17421

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:23am

Cute picture! Maureen is so sweet.

[Bubba2]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 11:49am

I love your avatar Ashley! By the way, Erin Davie is the only cast member who has not missed a show. Way to go Erin!
Oh yea, Asa does fake playing the piano.

Updated On: 4/9/07 at 11:49 AM

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 11:52am

As do I Ashley. I've been meaning to compliment you on it for a while now.