#1
Posted: 8/27/05 at 2:10am
The pre-show discussion with Sondheim was very interesting just for the fact that I got to see my idol in person! The questions were quite boring and not of the calibre that I would have expected they could have asked. I guess that's what you get when the guy picked them at random! What a waste of a half an hour with a genius! Next time choose the questions carefully! But Sondheim was an absolute gentleman and a hit with the crowd. Very comfortable man.
Well first off let me say that I am never washing my right hand. The hand that shook Sondheim's hand shall never feel the suds of soap! That being said this evening was decidedly mixed in my eyes. Besides the fact that I met my hero (which was absolutely amazing) the show itself was slightly underwhelming.
Patti Lupone didn't sound as sterling as I had hoped. Part of this is no doubt due to the poor sound design which made it very difficult to hear the singers. When you can't hear Patti Lupone singing, there is most certainly a problem. She was a very impressive actress and I can't wait to see what she does with Mrs. Lovett. Her upper register seemed kind of lost today, she may be under the weather but I'm not sure.
Michael Cerveris, with his long hair looked like Donny Osmond. He did an excellent job overall, the Act I closer (the name escapes me) was very enjoyable and the great part was that I was actually able to follow it! It'll be interesting to see Mr. Cerveris do Sweeney as he is not an imposing physical figure and is quite thin with a powerful upper register and a less natural lower register. He will be a very interesting Sweeney, someone unlike what we have seen in the past.
The woman of the evening however was Ms. Audra McDonald. An absolutely stunning actress, vocal presence, beauty and talent this magnificent gem of a performer SOLD everything she was in. Some actresses can sing a song, Audra McDonald can PERFORM a song. She blew me away. The audience at the end of "There Won't Be Trumpets" seemed to never stop and she got just as much applause for every solo afterwards. Her "point-by-point" monologue was hilarious and solidified her comedic chops and stage presence. Audra McDonald is a force to be reckoned with.
I think the main problem with Anyone Can Whistle is probably the book. I got the impression that the book thinks it's funnier than it actually is. The jokes are not natural and seem very forced. Having said that I applaud all of the actors who managed to make milk flow from that dull stone of a book! Ray Wills works very hard in a thankless role. I can't wait to see him move up because he really has that spark. He landed jokes that I didn't realize were jokes. I just laughed for him and with him. John Mahoney (the dad from Frasier and a Tony Award winner for House of Blue Leaves) seemed underused and underrehearsed.
The direction was nothing particularly special, some odd choices such as having the final kiss be off in a random corner while the entire ensemble stands center. I just didn't know where to look.
In order to improve the show as a whole they need to eliminate one of the ballads and push the intermission to about a quarter into the second act. A half hour first act and then a hour and a half (or so it seemed) second act is unacceptable and not particularly easy to sit through after a while in uncomfortable seats! I think if you put this book into a script-doctors hands you'd be in much safer waters as a musical comedy.
Overall it was a very interesting night. I had a lot of fun and I made a lot of memories. I noticed a lot of things that could have been done differently and I noticed a ton of things that I absolutely adored and most of all, respected. Paul Gemingani (forgive the spelling) and Patti Lupone have a playful relationship. Might I add he is particularly fun to watch conduct!
I can't wait for next years concert!
Well first off let me say that I am never washing my right hand. The hand that shook Sondheim's hand shall never feel the suds of soap! That being said this evening was decidedly mixed in my eyes. Besides the fact that I met my hero (which was absolutely amazing) the show itself was slightly underwhelming.
Patti Lupone didn't sound as sterling as I had hoped. Part of this is no doubt due to the poor sound design which made it very difficult to hear the singers. When you can't hear Patti Lupone singing, there is most certainly a problem. She was a very impressive actress and I can't wait to see what she does with Mrs. Lovett. Her upper register seemed kind of lost today, she may be under the weather but I'm not sure.
Michael Cerveris, with his long hair looked like Donny Osmond. He did an excellent job overall, the Act I closer (the name escapes me) was very enjoyable and the great part was that I was actually able to follow it! It'll be interesting to see Mr. Cerveris do Sweeney as he is not an imposing physical figure and is quite thin with a powerful upper register and a less natural lower register. He will be a very interesting Sweeney, someone unlike what we have seen in the past.
The woman of the evening however was Ms. Audra McDonald. An absolutely stunning actress, vocal presence, beauty and talent this magnificent gem of a performer SOLD everything she was in. Some actresses can sing a song, Audra McDonald can PERFORM a song. She blew me away. The audience at the end of "There Won't Be Trumpets" seemed to never stop and she got just as much applause for every solo afterwards. Her "point-by-point" monologue was hilarious and solidified her comedic chops and stage presence. Audra McDonald is a force to be reckoned with.
I think the main problem with Anyone Can Whistle is probably the book. I got the impression that the book thinks it's funnier than it actually is. The jokes are not natural and seem very forced. Having said that I applaud all of the actors who managed to make milk flow from that dull stone of a book! Ray Wills works very hard in a thankless role. I can't wait to see him move up because he really has that spark. He landed jokes that I didn't realize were jokes. I just laughed for him and with him. John Mahoney (the dad from Frasier and a Tony Award winner for House of Blue Leaves) seemed underused and underrehearsed.
The direction was nothing particularly special, some odd choices such as having the final kiss be off in a random corner while the entire ensemble stands center. I just didn't know where to look.
In order to improve the show as a whole they need to eliminate one of the ballads and push the intermission to about a quarter into the second act. A half hour first act and then a hour and a half (or so it seemed) second act is unacceptable and not particularly easy to sit through after a while in uncomfortable seats! I think if you put this book into a script-doctors hands you'd be in much safer waters as a musical comedy.
Overall it was a very interesting night. I had a lot of fun and I made a lot of memories. I noticed a lot of things that could have been done differently and I noticed a ton of things that I absolutely adored and most of all, respected. Paul Gemingani (forgive the spelling) and Patti Lupone have a playful relationship. Might I add he is particularly fun to watch conduct!
I can't wait for next years concert!
BSoBW2: I punched Sondheim in the face after I saw Wicked and said, "Why couldn't you write like that!?"
