Sweet Charity. So Bad.... — Page 4

I still have my doubts. But passing up an opporunity at a Charity would be unwise, I suppose...

That's pretty much what happened here in Oz a few years ago. A production of CHARITY opened in Melbourne with new choreography, but public response was so negative that by the time it transferred to Sydney a couple of months later (with a new director and some minor recasting) most of the Fosse choreography had found its way back into the show.

The terrible thing about when a show is done badly is that it turns off a whole generation of theatregoers and no-one can touch that property again for ANOTHER twenty years.

Matt - well written review.

Schoeffler was appropriately debonaire and a convincing Vittorio and he did receive an honorable mention in the Tribune. His Too Many Tomorrows was sumptuous. This mention in the Sun Times made me wonder if Heidi Weiss actually watched the scene or just read a synopsis of it while listening to the song:

"the Italian film star Vittorio Vidal (Paul Schoeffler, in full operetta mode), who treats her like a throwaway"

It was quite obvious in the scene that Vittorio treated her quite respectfully and that Charity instigated the antics that occurred as well as her exit. And what is "full operetta mode"? He's an Italian 1960s film Don Juan. What were they expecting? The song is somewhat operetta in style (which is stylistically appropriate in motivation), but it is only to serve as a background for the visual antics that go on with Charity. The whole scene was utterly charming and by the end of the show, you realize that Vittorio was probably the nicest man Charity has ever encountered.

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I was actually quite surprised by the Chicago critics. The bulk of both reviews were about the book which was never annouced as being heavily revised, so I'm not sure what they were expecting in this revival. They were much more forgiving of All Shook Up, which in its Chicago tryout, had more mudane and pedestrian choreography and whose book was riddled with inexplicable absudities. A small town goes nuts when a boy in jeans and a t-shirt rides up on a motorcycle, but hardly blinks an eye when a hot dame strolls in with a travelling art museum?

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I saw the original SWEET CHARITY shortly after it opened and "Where Am I Going?" was still in it. Gwen Verdon was magnificent, as were John McMartin and Helen Gallagher. Yes, there was a certain cheesiness to it, but it fit the characters and the lifestyle that was being portrayed.

I also saw the Debbie Allen revival and loved it, also. I recall that the sets and costumes were pretty much the original designs.

Why does this new production have to tamper with perfection?

It makes me worry about what will happen when HELLO, DOLLY! is "re-conceived". Both DOLLY and CHARITY were the visions of director/choreographers. Their success was due to Gower Champion and Bob Fosse. The fact that CHARITY has a director and a choreographer splitting the duties makes me think that the production won't have the "flow" of the original.

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Grind!

Ugh...with CA falling and the 2 supporting actresses being replacedd..this is really starting to feel like a sinking ship.

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Laughing, more likely.

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I bet Glebb could dance a kick-ass "Something Bettter Than That"!

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that girl with the long pony tail has one killer shimmy on her.

Chita and Paula = amazing!

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