#1
Posted: 1/6/10 at 11:35pm
So first off Bebe was back in after being out for a show or two. While I went in expecting great things from the cast I really didnt know what to expect from the material and I have to say I loved the show. I understand some things still need to be fixed but I really enjoyed the show immensly and if I had the money right now i'd go see it again before it leaves chicago.
Firstly the cast all around was great. I was afraid that Nathan Lane was just going to be playing himself much like he did in The Producers and that I might get tired of him. Not at all! I thought that he was fantastic and while of course there was some usual Lane shtick I felt for the most part he was Gomez. I really liked the scene he had with Krysta when he sang Happy/Sad. Though he did crack one joke during the song I felt it was the only part in the entire show that wasnt looking for laughs and Nathan and Krysta really worked well off each other and there were some nice serious moments from Lane there. His scene with Terrence Mann right before Gomez sings At Seven was a favorite of mine and I was roaring with laughter.
Krysta Rodriguez was amazing. I really hope the tony nominating committee shows her some love this spring. The song Pulled which is her big I want song in act 1 was sang with great power and the song has been stuck in my head all day. It was a very memorable song from a score that while I really enjoyed only left humming a song or two. Thats not to say of course that the score isnt good but just certain songs stuck with me more than others. Krysta was used alot in the show and the material really features her well. I also really liked her duet with Lucas, Crazier than You. She really is a great up and coming star and I was just a huge fan of her performance.
Bebe's acting was wonderful and I really loved her as Morticia. The Tango Swordfight between her and Lane stopped the show and got the biggest applause of the evening. I have never really cared for Bebe as a singer but I felt overall for the most part she sounded pretty good.
I love the character of Uncle Fester but im still not sure how I like the role. He works as a narrator but most of his songs seem out of place. I liked Lets Not Talk About Anything Else But Love 2 alot due to the choreo but the vaudevillianness (yes I just made a word) of it doesnt quite fit with the rest of the show. Also while Fester has a very funny song about his love for the moon, the flying and everything is funny and the audience ate it up but it does bring the show to a halt and while it might be sad for Kevin Chamberlin because its his best moment in the show it is something that is easily cuttable and since its a long song that should get looked at.
Jackie Hoffman was hilarious but is underused in the show but since her role doesnt really affect the plot to a large degree the role is about the size it should be. Jackie's one liners and ad lib during her Full Disclosure line was great but Im not sure if they really could use her anymore. Ok so that probably made no sense at all but I hope you all get what I mean.
Carolee is a favorite actress of mine and she didnt disapoint. I dont want to ruin any of her moments because she added alot of great humor to the show. Her big song durring Full Disclosure stopped the show and she also could be looked at for some tony nomination consideration.
The sets and lighting were stupendous. The staircases were utilized so much that they really came up with so many various locations in the addams house using only a few set pieces. The design was ingenius and really never ever halted the flow of the show. The only thing as I said before that shouldbe looked at is that moon song. Though Fester flying and bouncing the moon off his feet was very cool and if you go into the show looking for some spectacle you do get it.
Overall I had an amazing time at the show. I do think they need to look at that one song but the score was solid. I felt the comic timing was pretty damn good and Im thinking that may have been due to some work by Jerry Zaks. The book is very funny but at some moments might need a little tightening. I know people have been questioning the use of current events or pop culture references but I didnt feel they were greatly out of place. The Addams after all are people, yes not nessacarily normal ones but they are people and I dont see why they wouldnt be aware of such things. It didnt bother me. The show seems like its in pretty good shape and Im sure it will only get better once it gets to New York. I hope it gets some tony love (especially for the 2 actors I mentioned and for design) but not having seen or heard much about the other new shows this season I'll have to reacess all that when it comes to Tony time.
Firstly the cast all around was great. I was afraid that Nathan Lane was just going to be playing himself much like he did in The Producers and that I might get tired of him. Not at all! I thought that he was fantastic and while of course there was some usual Lane shtick I felt for the most part he was Gomez. I really liked the scene he had with Krysta when he sang Happy/Sad. Though he did crack one joke during the song I felt it was the only part in the entire show that wasnt looking for laughs and Nathan and Krysta really worked well off each other and there were some nice serious moments from Lane there. His scene with Terrence Mann right before Gomez sings At Seven was a favorite of mine and I was roaring with laughter.
Krysta Rodriguez was amazing. I really hope the tony nominating committee shows her some love this spring. The song Pulled which is her big I want song in act 1 was sang with great power and the song has been stuck in my head all day. It was a very memorable song from a score that while I really enjoyed only left humming a song or two. Thats not to say of course that the score isnt good but just certain songs stuck with me more than others. Krysta was used alot in the show and the material really features her well. I also really liked her duet with Lucas, Crazier than You. She really is a great up and coming star and I was just a huge fan of her performance.
Bebe's acting was wonderful and I really loved her as Morticia. The Tango Swordfight between her and Lane stopped the show and got the biggest applause of the evening. I have never really cared for Bebe as a singer but I felt overall for the most part she sounded pretty good.
I love the character of Uncle Fester but im still not sure how I like the role. He works as a narrator but most of his songs seem out of place. I liked Lets Not Talk About Anything Else But Love 2 alot due to the choreo but the vaudevillianness (yes I just made a word) of it doesnt quite fit with the rest of the show. Also while Fester has a very funny song about his love for the moon, the flying and everything is funny and the audience ate it up but it does bring the show to a halt and while it might be sad for Kevin Chamberlin because its his best moment in the show it is something that is easily cuttable and since its a long song that should get looked at.
Jackie Hoffman was hilarious but is underused in the show but since her role doesnt really affect the plot to a large degree the role is about the size it should be. Jackie's one liners and ad lib during her Full Disclosure line was great but Im not sure if they really could use her anymore. Ok so that probably made no sense at all but I hope you all get what I mean.
Carolee is a favorite actress of mine and she didnt disapoint. I dont want to ruin any of her moments because she added alot of great humor to the show. Her big song durring Full Disclosure stopped the show and she also could be looked at for some tony nomination consideration.
The sets and lighting were stupendous. The staircases were utilized so much that they really came up with so many various locations in the addams house using only a few set pieces. The design was ingenius and really never ever halted the flow of the show. The only thing as I said before that shouldbe looked at is that moon song. Though Fester flying and bouncing the moon off his feet was very cool and if you go into the show looking for some spectacle you do get it.
Overall I had an amazing time at the show. I do think they need to look at that one song but the score was solid. I felt the comic timing was pretty damn good and Im thinking that may have been due to some work by Jerry Zaks. The book is very funny but at some moments might need a little tightening. I know people have been questioning the use of current events or pop culture references but I didnt feel they were greatly out of place. The Addams after all are people, yes not nessacarily normal ones but they are people and I dont see why they wouldnt be aware of such things. It didnt bother me. The show seems like its in pretty good shape and Im sure it will only get better once it gets to New York. I hope it gets some tony love (especially for the 2 actors I mentioned and for design) but not having seen or heard much about the other new shows this season I'll have to reacess all that when it comes to Tony time.
<------ Me and my friends with patti Lupone at my friends afterparty for her concert with audra mcdonald during the summer of 2007.
"I am sorry but it is an unjust world and virtue is only triumphant in theatricle performances" The Mikado
"I am sorry but it is an unjust world and virtue is only triumphant in theatricle performances" The Mikado
