Guys and Dolls 2/11 EVE (Long)

[Bialyhoos22]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 12:05pm

Well we've got trouble my friends...And this time, it ain't with Craig Bierko!

This is quite the mess.



Updated On: 7/6/11 at 12:05 PM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 1:16pm

What isn't working is DES MCANUFF. The man is one of the inept, over-rated excuses for a director I have ever seen. I LOVE Guys and Dolls, but when they signed Guys and Dolls over to him, I knew I would be disappointed. George Bush does a better job running a country than Des does directing a show.

Aside from Guys and Dolls itself, the only drives I have to see this show are Lauren Graham, Kate Jennings Grant, Mary Testa, and Nick Adams.

[JBSinger]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 2:58pm

It takes real talent to mess up an old war-horse like G&D. YIKES. I hope it finds its way.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 3:09pm

Personally, I've always liked Sky and Sarah best anyway. They have such gorgeous songs, for one thing. But I'm probably in the minority there.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 3:25pm

Does anyone think that there's any chance of Testa garnering awards for her role?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 3:32pm

God, I hope not. The woman has a glorified cameo.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 3:36pm

Is Damon Runyon still wandering around?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 3:40pm

The bigger question is, if he is, does he smell? 'Cause I imagine after being dead that long...

[Kalimba]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 4:05pm

Personally I think McAnuff, Graham and Platt should be run out of town.

[April Saul]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 4:55pm

Was there last night, totally agree on Kate Jennings Grant, she blew me away...Platt and Graham won't be able to catch up to Grant and Bierko, but even apart from that: WHAT IS WITH THE SET?? I am so tired of floor-to-ceiling projections that make you dizzy and crap on the stage that obscures things for anybody not sitting front and center in the theater! This was my first Guys and Dolls, and I never quite got the sense that it was a truly outstanding musical in its own right watching it last night...guess I'll have to wait a decade or two for the next production.

[danceallnight]

Posted: 2/15/09 at 10:06am

I saw this 2/14 at the matinee and thought it was fun and enjoyable. I agree with everything Bialyhoos and others have written. Kate Jennings Grant was WONDERFUL. She was great throughout but esp. in the Havana number. Bierko was very good and I really liked his voice. Burgess was ok but did shine in Rocking the Boat. Mary Testa just exploded up there esp. during that number. The audience LOVED that number and gave a very long and loud applause afterwards. I also liked Steve Rosen as Benny. The dance ensemble was very good. Platt was just flat. His funny lines weren't. For me, the biggest disappointment was Graham as Adelaide. She was much better in Act II but I felt that Adelaide's Lament was just wasted. The audience also had an underwhelmed response to it. It just wasn't as funny as it should have been, the characterization was nothing very special. Really a shame on an absolute jewel of a number, potentially. Even my 12 year old daughter said "It doesn't even sound like she has a cold!". I also heard others remarking similar thoughts at intermission.

Yes, Nicely is still in a fat suit and Runyon is still walking around. Didn't bother me too much though. I was sitting in the second to last row of the theater on the right aisle. I could see pretty well except for the very opening number when those columns did obstruct my view of the projection screen where Runyon was typing. But after that the view was fine. There are so many lights and big signs around the set that I think it is an advantage to sit further back to get the full picture. What WAS distracting was that I could hear every car horn blare and siren wail from outside on the street. Oh well. I had mixed feelings about the projection screen - sometimes I liked it but sometimes it seemed distracting.

The audience received the show warmly. It was fun after the show to see the director and the creative team discussing and reviewing the show in the orch. section. I stayed for a few minutes to watch them and see if I could overhear anything they were saying! Overall, I enjoyed it and I think the production is worth seeing just as it is. Good - sometimes very good- but not great due to the Platt-Graham issues. I am looking forward to seeing Kate Jennings Grant again in future productions.

For the ladies- one of the nicest ladies rooms I've been in! Not because it's pretty but because it is big enough and the line moved so efficiently and quickly and the attendent was actually helping everybody get in and out!
Updated On: 2/15/09 at 10:06 AM

[nlm]

Posted: 2/15/09 at 10:18am

Personally I think McAnuff, Graham and Platt should be run out of town.

Des' coming to Australia to direct Jersey Boys. Any chance we can send him back early? :) I will say I'm glad he didn't direct our version here in Oz. We had a fab director for our version.

Updated On: 2/15/09 at 10:18 AM

[Bodes08]

Posted: 2/15/09 at 12:32pm

Nah, keep him for Jersey Boys.
I thoughthe did well with that show.
I can see how he'd mess this one up though. It should've went to Arthur Laurents. He would have made a spectacle out of it!
And I was really pulling for Lauren Graham. Hoefully she'll be able to develop her character and shine.

[Mandi Moo]

Posted: 2/15/09 at 1:36pm

I saw the 2/14 matinee as well.

I think that the show was enjoyable, but overall nothing spectacular. I think the audience applauded so much for Mary Testa because they'd been waiting all afternoon to be completely wowed by something in the show.

Kate Jennings Grant was my favorite thing about the entire show. Every time she was on stage my interest piqued a bit, and I think that her and Craig Bierko were great together.

I can't really comment on the projections because I was sitting in the student rush seats so I could only see about 1/8 of them. For anyone who is rushing, I would say try to get there early to get them, because the farther back you are the better the view is.

[JasonM12480]

Posted: 2/15/09 at 5:14pm

Three things...

1. In this day and age, if you want a character to be fat, why not just hire a fat actor? Unless it's Edna in Hairspray, I think a fat suit in today's world is a little ridiculous. Or, make Titus gain some actual weight.

2. It's a bit surprising that the show is in previews, and yet - no pictures, no video - nothing. Yes, we had the four principles photographed, but no actual production photographs or video yet. Seems like the show is a bit "secretive." Odd to me. Quite odd.

3. I keep hearing "floor to ceiling" projections and moving video - is this ala the revival of "H2$" that Des directed back in the mid 90's? If so, isn't it a bit unoriginal at this point? For THAT show, it worked...I remember it well. Not so sure about G & D.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 2:48am

After seeing the fabulous Donmar revival in London, this revival sounds like it sux the carpets. The rights holders deserve the flop they are about to receive for not bringing the London version over. What a disservice to the creators of the original (although after the terrible "Pal Joey" - also with a woman who should never be allowed to open her mouth in song - I guess bad revivals are the new black ("Music in the Air" being this year's exception to the rule.) The London version of "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat" rocked.

Here's just a taste:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu1Bw7lfv7s

watch this and then go flip a Sally Ann Lady.

Updated On: 2/16/09 at 02:48 AM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 2:53am

I too pity the fact that the Donmar production didn't transfer. Krakowski's award-winning Adelaide deserved to shine on Broadway.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 2:56am

Unless the HAIR transfer pulls a miracle; I think WSS will be the Best Revival this season.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 2:58am

And that's not saying a great deal.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 12:03pm

^ Damn! You're STILL bitter Legally Blonde is gone?

[rwlevin]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 2:43pm

Why exactly does Nicely Nicely Johnson have to be fat? Because Stubby Kaye was fat? Come on. Walter Bobbie was an awesome Nicely Nicely Johnson and he didn't don a fat suit. And then why don't we compare Oliver Platt, Nathan Lane and Frank Sinatra as to how Nathan Detroit should look and act.

As far as Lauren Graham, I swear when I heard she was cast in the show I was excited because I thought she was playing Sarah Brown. Le sigh.

In lieu of watching this production, I think I'll pull out my video of the making of the '92 cast album instead.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 10:36pm

Well, actually, if you watch the Royal Variety performance, they refer to Nicely Nicely Johnson as, "A fat load of buffalo."

And, as far as I know, you DON'T edit GUYS AND DOLLS.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 2/17/09 at 1:05am

ljay, grow up. I can be bored with junk food like the cheapass revival of WSS or the sad desecration of Pal Joey without having anything to do with Legally Blonde. They are simply a disservice to the original shows. That's all.

And I haven't mentioned Legally Blonde in months. Pull your head out of where ever it is and come up with something new and clever to say. Or perhaps, for once something clever at all.

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 2/17/09 at 5:51am

The Donmar production for me was perfection and some of the big numbers (Havana scene, Sit Down You're Rocking The Boat, Luck Be Your Lady, Adelaide numbers...etc) were one of THE most memorable moments I've ever experienced! I've seen the production around 4 times, all excellent!
It's quite sad to hear the Broadway revival isn't doing as well!

[JasonM12480]

Posted: 2/17/09 at 10:23am

The line is actually...

"Get up, you fat water buffalo."

I've never seen a load of buffalo. But I've heard'a cows! *rimshot*