Why the supporting roles in BLONDE aren't supporting Ms. Bundy.

[massofmen]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 6:16pm

I don't get it. Have seen the show. Thought it was fluff and stuff. But I think the problem with it might not be so much the perky blonde girl in the center, but the people around her.

take Ms. Orfeh: I was going in expecting this incredible "Ebersolean" performance(from all the raves and accolades she has been getting) and I see a woman speaking in a Long Island (suppossed to be living in Boston) accent over acting everything and just being loud and odd.
The woman in the movie was brilliant, because you truly cared for her and her plight as an insecure woman. Ms. Orfeh never seems insecure. EVER on that stage. When she first talks to Elle, she gives her all this advice and has no inkling of passivity or insecurity. There is no real journey from meek, shy woman to strong beautiful person. No arc of character no real journey.

I think this also hinders LBB. If the people around her don't make journeys with her help we don't really care about her and her journey.

If Emmet doesn't go from dorky guy to guy who stands up to callahan, it doesn't help elle. I think LBB is at her best when coupled with mr. borle. he is such a fine actor. Completely understated and real. The one time in the show I thought was the most heartfelt is at the end of his song "chip..." and he does his little dorky "i like you" dance "...little ms. woods comma elle". It was great. I think when he and ms. bundy are together there is something special on that stage. with the others, she just seems to drown.

If warner doesn't really go from shallow creep to nice guy this doesn't show that elle really helped him along at all. and mr. blake is probably one of the most bland actors in the show. So I think he hinders LBB's journey.

If Vivienne doesn't go from bitch to nice girl it doesn't help LBB in her journey. ms. shindle is one of the more awkward women I have seen on stage. She doesn't seem to know how to stand confidently. I don't think ms. shindle really knows what the purpose of her character is to the state of the show. when is her turning point to help elle? is there one? or does she just go from mean, to singing a song about her being her muse. I know i know she says, "shut up warner" but it has to be somewhere before that...I just don't see ms shindle being a catalyst to ms. bundy's cause of helping people.

Everyone in the show has to grow BECAUSE of Elle and her journey, otherwise we don't give a damn. I think maybe LBB is getting a bad rap because the supporting roles just aren't supporting her.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 6:20pm

The performances are dandy but there isn't much to the characters themselves. There is an arc, but no depth to them. The show isn't written that way. Instead of a number making us care about the development of the story, relationships, etc., we get a 4 minute Riverdance number and a 4 minute journey to a bathroom. Which is fine, because that is what the show is, and there is no disguise to that.

Bell Bundy may get a nod, but she wouldn't, shouldn't, and won't win.

[massofmen]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 6:22pm

oh, i don't think she should even get a nod. I don't think she is great in the show. I just think there is so much ranting on how she isn't good, I think looking at other people in the show and seeing if they are puling their weight might be something to look at.

you are only as good as the weakest link right?

and I do think orfeh could have a nice arc if she knew how to do it. I think the others could as well. I just think they don't, or don't know how.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 6:24pm

What do the other performers not "pulling their weight" have to do with anything?

And also, the things you pointed out in the first post seem more like flaws in the book, not the material.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 6:28pm

It's not that they're not doing their job, it's that Bundy is completely underwhelming as Elle.

[massofmen]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 6:30pm

well,
i think when you put on a skit its like a team playing a game. if the team is good the show is good. you throw the ball, you catch the ball blah blah.

i think if the other actors on stage are not helping each other because well, they aren't good actors, that could bring a person down as well. Again, I am not saying that ms. bundy does a great job. I think she is serviceable. I just think the other actors in the show, if good, could help her to do a better job. Since they aren't good, no one is there to throw her a good pass.
since no one goes from one place to another in the show, what is the need for elle? Reese helped people along her journey which made her likeable and loveable. Why? because paulette in the movie was brilliant. had a great arc.
warner was great. wasn't so much of a jerk, just misguided. Elle straightened him out. Vivienne in the movie went from shallow bi%^h to nice gal. None of this really happens in the show, and so elle has no real reason for being there.
if those people in the musical did a good job like the people in the movie i think ms. bundy might have an easier time up there.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 6:32pm

The sucess of Bundy's performance should have nothing to do with the supporting performers.

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 6:34pm

"I see a woman speaking in a Long Island (suppossed to be living in Boston)"

Because everyone magically speaks the same way as soon as they are in the same area. I don't know about you, but I know plenty of people that speak with accents that arn't native to America, but that doesn't make them any less of a real person. That was Legally Blonde the MOVIE, this is Legally Blonde the MUSICAL. Not everything is going to be the same. The upcoming Xanadu proves that. I agree with yankeefan007 that it's just Bundy lacking star presence onstage.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 6:36pm

Bundy does have the easiest time - the audience eats her up from the moment she steps on stage. The other characters do not and should not "have to throw her a good pass."

Legally Blonde is a marginally entertaining night of theater. In my opinion, the supporting cast is the only reason why it succeeds. 'Cause I sure as hell don't think Bundy can carry it.

[Chardonnay]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 6:51pm

Comparing Orfeh to Jennifer Coolidge is a waste of your time. She has said in interviews that Coolidge was fantastic in the movie, but she couldn't and didn't want to imitate her. As for Kate Shindle... she has no issue with confidence. She was Miss. Illinois in the 1998 Miss. America pageant and won the title.

I haven't seen the show and maybe their journey's are a bit blurry, but I thought I'd throw these facts into the mix!


Updated On: 5/17/07 at 06:51 PM

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 6:54pm

^ She was Ms. Illinios. Chicago is a city. :)

[FosterChild]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 7:19pm

Massofmen, what's your point? Orfeh has been recognized by every major paper/reviewer/nominating committee there is thus far. You're certrainly entitled to your opinion but to blame Orfeh for Bundy's lack of star quality and charisma is outlandish and untrue and some really bad reverse shilling in MY opinion.

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 7:50pm

well said fosterchild.

[massofmen]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 12:43am

i have no idea what reverse shilling is.
and i don't have to explain that i am or am not a "shill". Sometimes this board feels like the 50's where if someone calls you a "red" you have to defend yourself on why you are not. so stupid.

and just because every paper deems Orfeh good, does that mean its so? huh. so if its in the papers it means its true..got it.

and giving nominating committees weight? come on! millie over urinetown for best show? Marissa Jaret over Bernadette for lead actress? La cage winning over Sunday in the Park for best score? Nominating commitees are just as political as the rest of the country. So before you tell me people are good because the "nominating committee" tells you so, let's take a step back.

and by the looks of things, people don't seem to be paying top dollar to see "the pink show". Operating costs are more than the avg grosses so far. Looks like without come tony nominations it might close before the end of the year. And instead of just blaming on the girl in front, i was trying to see if there were other explanations. But maybe she and the writer and jerry mitchell are the only ones accountable. Yea, everyone else is perfect. come on.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 12:50am

No one is saying everyone else is perfect. However, this seems to be like "It's not LBB's fault! It's everyone else's fault!". I mean, why can't people just say she isn't good in the role? Why do people have to blame the writing, or the other performers?


And I would love to know how you somehow know the operating costs for LB. And I'd also like to know what that had to do with ANYTHING in this thread, as you were the first to mention how much money they are pulling in, etc.

Updated On: 5/14/07 at 12:50 AM

[Al Dente]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 12:55am

Mass, let me put this as simply as I can, it IS indeed, the fault of the DIRECTOR, the WRITER, the PRODUCERS and the "STAR" the banked so heavily on, to make the pink show a hit.

If you don't see the merit in having AT LEAST a couple of supporting cast members who were good enough to pick up the slack and run away with an easy show to run away with, you have to deal with the fact that people who aren't steeped in agenda (like critics, like innocent audience members, like nominators) are in fact,seeing what you don't want to see and what's so obviously rattling you to the core. Plain and simple.

No, Orfeh getting glowing reviews across the board doesn't "make her good", her overwhelming talent and undeniable stage presence does. To "blame" her for Bundy's lack of star wattage is practically surreal. It sure does sound like the 50's with you starting an unnecessary and late smear campain.


*and you want to continue this further, spare everyone and take it to PM
Updated On: 5/14/07 at 12:55 AM

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 1:13am

I saw it tonight, and I actually thought Orfeh was the weakest of the bunch.

Kate Shindle and Leslie Kritzer came close to stealing the show, but it really is Bundy's. and she REALLY does deserve a nom - she's working harder than ANYONE on the Great White Way, imo - she's never off that stage, and whnever she's on, she's a tornado of energy. I took into account her lack of "star" quality which she has been crticized for, but I do feel that she did have some legitmate diva moments tonight.

not that it matters. She'll get the nom, as there's way too much corporate support for Legally Blonde for her to not.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 1:13am

I don't understand why everyone is so defensive here.

I think that mass brings up a good point, though I think he's blaming the wrong people. Most of the points he brought up seem to be the fault of the director and the book rather than the character choices. I mean if Vivienne doesn't have a scene that shows her easing up and letting her guard down and being slowly won over by Elle before she sings how Elle is her muse in Legally Blonde Remix, than what can Shindle do about that? She just has to take what she's given and run with it. Based on your criticisms, the only person who I can see faulting by the your criticism is the way Orfeh chose to play her character.

However, I can see mass's point that in order for a characer and story-driven show to work on a whole, the actors do need to work together and not try to one-up each other. I think he's saying that the material and some of the overshadowing isn't giving Bundy much to work with and she can't help but be swallowed up by the other actors. I agree that it'd be nice if they let Elle shine, but again, what can they do if the direction, book, score, and leading lady are just underwhelming?

That said, I don't get the mass hysteria over the original poster. God forbid someone criticize Orfeh. It's not as if there are any performers that are sacred and never allowed to be criticized.

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 1:14am

I saw it tonight, and I actually thought Orfeh was the weakest of the bunch.

Kate Shindle and Leslie Kritzer came close to stealing the show, but it really is Bundy's. and she REALLY does deserve a nom - she's working harder than ANYONE on the Great White Way, imo - she's never off that stage, and whnever she's on, she's a tornado of energy. I took into account her lack of "star" quality which she has been crticized for, but I do feel that she did have some legitmate diva moments tonight.

not that it matters. She'll get the nom, as there's way too much corporate support for Legally Blonde for her to not.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 1:14am

double posted.

Updated On: 5/14/07 at 01:14 AM

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 1:19am

Kate Shindle and Leslie Kritzer came close to stealing the show, but it really is Bundy's. and she REALLY does deserve a nom - she's working harder than ANYONE on the Great White Way, imo

I'm sorry, but I hate it when people say that someone deserves to be awarded for acting/performing on the basis that they're working so hard. Isn't the purpose of acting and performing is to make it look easy? By making it look like work, it seems the actor is failing to get into the character/performance.

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 1:20am

Though it has descended a bit into favoritism this type of thread was what brought me to BWW and kept me here. There is an awful lot of room for debate with this topic.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 1:25am

I have to agree with Viet in that I don't know why some people get so pissy when someone criticizes Orfeh. Just because she got good reviews doesn't mean sh can't be critiqued.

[FosterChild]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 1:26am

Vietgrl, there's no "mass hysteria", Massofmen is basically saying that Orfeh should tone down her performance in order for Bundy to shine and that's just plain sad. People are paying a LOT of money to see these shows and performers and "ok" just doesn't cut it. Why not expect more from the STAR of the show instead of trying to tone down what's great? I don't think it's all that hard to upstage Bundy. I think if Sherie Rene Scott, Sutton Foster, Chenoweth, Megan Hilty, Kate Reindeers or even Annaleigh Ashoford were in the role, we'd be having a very different arguement.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 5/14/07 at 1:31am

No one is getting pissy but Foster nailed it. It's offensive that Orfeh (or anyone) is expected to tone down so someone else can more readily "shine". And I'm sure you put no stock in Orfeh's reviews or nominations but the industry will. I remember all this same sort of backlash with Sara Ramirez and Idina and it's a constant with Cheno and I'm sure they're laughing all the way to the bank.
Updated On: 5/14/07 at 01:31 AM