#1
Posted: 8/25/08 at 6:29pm
I recently wrote a review of Tale of Two Cities after the first preview, and after two more subsequent viewing I feel like I need to amend some of my statements.
Last week I saw the Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evening performances, and what a difference a week can make. The show is running much more smoothly, and the actors are deepening their characters ten-fold.
Whatever faults the book and score have they are FAR outweighed by the brillant performances being turned in by the talented cast. James Barbour is absolutely thrilling in this solos, especially "I Can't Recall." He knows how to deliver each line for the appropriate emotion and is a joy to watch on stage.
Brandi Burkhardt has undergone a transformation this week. Maybe she needed a performance under her belt, but she was just wonderful on Saturday night. "Without a Word" may be the best song in the show and she sings it with such passion and verve that I got chills.
Aaron Lazar still has the weakest material of the leads to deal with, but he is singing it very well. Natalie Toro really sells "Out of Sight, Out of Mind," despite the somewhat weak lyrics. She really lights the fire in the second act though at the trial scene. I just can't get enough!
Gregg Edelman is still underused, but his acting is spot on and his first act duet with Aaron is beautiful.
I have come to realize that Jill Santoriello has actually crafted a wonderful book, in that she pared down the novel into a clear and concise narrative. What could have ended up a four hour mess, really turned out quite well. Sure Jill might want to take Little Sally's advice about too much exposition at the beginning of a show, but overall the book moves along at a nice pace. After three viewings in a weeks time, never once was I bored.
I still admit that the lyrics suffer a little from being a bit trite and generic, but I have moved beyond that and just let the wonderful voices take over. Some of the most beautiful opera melodies are written to sappy love song lyrics. Does that make them "bad" songs...NO!
All in all I have become enchanted with the show and wish the cast and crew the best. I hope everyone stays openminded about the show and gives it a chance.
Peace
Last week I saw the Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evening performances, and what a difference a week can make. The show is running much more smoothly, and the actors are deepening their characters ten-fold.
Whatever faults the book and score have they are FAR outweighed by the brillant performances being turned in by the talented cast. James Barbour is absolutely thrilling in this solos, especially "I Can't Recall." He knows how to deliver each line for the appropriate emotion and is a joy to watch on stage.
Brandi Burkhardt has undergone a transformation this week. Maybe she needed a performance under her belt, but she was just wonderful on Saturday night. "Without a Word" may be the best song in the show and she sings it with such passion and verve that I got chills.
Aaron Lazar still has the weakest material of the leads to deal with, but he is singing it very well. Natalie Toro really sells "Out of Sight, Out of Mind," despite the somewhat weak lyrics. She really lights the fire in the second act though at the trial scene. I just can't get enough!
Gregg Edelman is still underused, but his acting is spot on and his first act duet with Aaron is beautiful.
I have come to realize that Jill Santoriello has actually crafted a wonderful book, in that she pared down the novel into a clear and concise narrative. What could have ended up a four hour mess, really turned out quite well. Sure Jill might want to take Little Sally's advice about too much exposition at the beginning of a show, but overall the book moves along at a nice pace. After three viewings in a weeks time, never once was I bored.
I still admit that the lyrics suffer a little from being a bit trite and generic, but I have moved beyond that and just let the wonderful voices take over. Some of the most beautiful opera melodies are written to sappy love song lyrics. Does that make them "bad" songs...NO!
All in all I have become enchanted with the show and wish the cast and crew the best. I hope everyone stays openminded about the show and gives it a chance.
Peace
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
