A Tale of Two Cities...Revisited

[WhizzerMarvin]

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

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 6:32pm

wonderful review.... but why did you waste your time revisiting a second-rate LES MIS ripoff?

[bwaybri2]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 6:37pm

tdh -

if you must think of TOTC as a rip off then it is not a 2nd rate one but a 1st rate one - I saw the show last Friday evening - and I'm still thinking about it -

thank heavens BWW was around in the 50's or West Side Story would have been considered a rip off of R&J to you -

closed minds are a wonderful thing to waste

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 6:37pm

I too saw it three times this past week, and it got better and better with each viewing. Thank you for the review...and looking forward to seeing the show again with you next Monday evening!

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 6:40pm

I greatly enjoyed the first preview, and I'm ecstatic to see that it is improving so much from performance to performance. I look forward to revisiting it once it opens proper.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 6:44pm

thank heavens BWW was around in the 50's or West Side Story would have been considered a rip off of R&J to you -

That would be pointless, redundant, and stupid. WEST SIDE STORY was created to be a modern ROMEO & JULIET, a fact that was well-known and advertised. If something is legitimately based on something else, you can't call it a rip-off.

Also, I believe you mean BWW was not around in the 50s.

Proofreading: not just for English class.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 1:53am

bwaybri - what a TERRIBLE analogy. if you're going to start up an argument, at least give me something more substantial to work with!

Yero Hero states it correctly... West Side Story is supposed to be a "spinoff" (or ripoff, I guess) of R&J.

[winston89]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 2:45am

TDH, if that is your opinion then find. But, don't force others to agree with you. Or, pass off your opinion as fact.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 3:22am

Im so glad that Gregg Edelman is back at the same theatre where he thrilled audiences in Wonderful Town! Can't wait to see this new musical.

[seventypercentcocoa]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 12:58pm

I usually buzz through these threads, grab some info and scram, BUT...

YMH and TDH: What exactly is WRONG with you? Do you get physically arroused by being snarky, miserable and condescending?

Let people have their opinions - or at least respectfully disagree without going for the jugular, maybe?

Or here's a brilliant idea:

If you don't like a show.....don't see it. GASP!

And for the record, ye of sooooo much valuable theatre knowledge? A "spinoff" is a continuation or variation on a side plot or character, meaning that a spinoff of RandJ would be, for example, a show about Juliet's nurse after her young charge offed herself. But you already knew that, right?

[Kalimba]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 1:05pm

Gregg Edelman - yawn. No matter what show he's in, he bores me to tears.

[morningglory]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 1:22pm

so how is the guy who plays Ernest Defarge?

[susanlynn]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 2:30pm

He is fantastic!!

[sanda]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 3:17pm

The guy who plays Ernest Degarge is Kevin Earley who is insanely talented.

[chrysler99]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 8:53pm

Gregg Edelman is great, except that he's often "pitchy".