My Thoughts on CRY-BABY

[BroadwayGuy12]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:08am

Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD!

I went to see the matinee of Cry-Baby yesterday, expecting the worst after hearing the word of mouth this show was getting. I definitely didn't see the worst musical ever. I saw a show that was fun, but could still use some work.

I'll start by talking about the good. I think the entire cast is very talented, and they all gave everything while on stage. They seemed happy to just be up there and performing. The two supporting characters, Baldwin (Christopher J. Hanke) and Lenora (Alli Mauzey) were the real stand-outs for me. They were the ones who made me laugh the most.

The leads, played by Elizabeth Stanley and James Snyder, were both fine, but they didn't wow me. I think both are great performers (I loved Snyder on the studio recording of Bare, and I loved Stanley on the PBS broadcast of Company.), but they still need to get a firm grasp on the characters. I think they are still growing into their roles, and with time they will get better and better. Both are very talented, though, and I think that they were fun to watch while on stage.

The choreography was also fantastic, probably my favorite part of the show. There was one dance break during act two, during the song "A Little Upset" that I really enjoyed. The male ensemble tied license plates to their shoes and then tapped danced with those. That was really cool to watch.

And now for the stuff I didn't like so much. I thought the score was forgettable, in fact there were only about three songs that I really liked in the production ("I'm Infected", "Screw Loose", and "Nothing Bad's Ever Gonna Happen Again"). I thought most of the songs sounded to similar, and there was little variety in the score.

My least favorite part of the show was the book. There were many problems here, but nothing that can't be fixed with some more work. The final scene of act one, in the courtroom, was too long and needs to be shortened. The gas mask waltz doesn't fit in with the rest of the show, so I would cut that to. The first scene where Allison and Cry-Baby meet and fall in love moved too fast, and the ending moved too slow. I hated the fact that Cry-Baby just forgave Mrs. Vernon-Williams for sending his parents to the chair when that was the whole reason he became a rebel in the first place. My biggest problem in the book was with the jokes. I think that I laughed about five times throughout the whole show, and that really bugged me. I felt like I should be laughing, but I wasn't. And when a show is supposed to be a musical comedy, I want to be laughing. Maybe this was just my problem though, because everyone around me was cracking up.

So, all in all, I don't think Cry-Baby is a bad show. I wouldn't recommend it, and I wouldn't see it again, but I did have fun while I was at the theatre. I know that the show is in previews, and I hope that some of the problems that I saw in the show can be fixed. I'm glad I got the chance to see it.

Sorry that's so long. I did stage door, so if anyone wants a report about that you can just ask. Feel free to ask any other questions you might have.

[gaykettle]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 1:33pm

the girl playing lenora is f---ing brilliant

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 1:34pm

Saw it last night & loved it.

Yes she was ******* brilliant. Hopefully will get a Tony nod.

Updated On: 4/13/08 at 01:34 PM

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 1:37pm

I agree with your review, except that I would say the score (for me) was a bigger problem than the book.

I actually laughed at some of the jokes.. perhaps because I am of the older crowd.. but really hated the score.

You are so right -- no variety!! There are ways of sticking to the 50's style while making it ORIGINAL.

Shaiman did a fabulous job, with HAIRSPRAY, at using that late 50's and early 60's motown/doo-wop influence and making it contemporary. Making it his own score.