In the interest of full disclosure, let me say that I simply ADORE this show. I bought the 3-LP set before I was old enough to drive and listened to it endlessly, memorizing every note, lyric, and crossover. I traveled from San Francisco to Los Angeles to see the two-piano version with Spiro Malas and was simply overwhelmed.
I wish I could say that I was overwhelmed with the NYCO production I saw last night. This production has so many things against it that it never rises above the level of merely adequate, let alone brilliance.
First of all are the limitations of the 2800-seat NY State Theatre. Quite honestly, I hate this barn. Even sitting in C-115 in the first ring, I felt miles away from the stage. I never use binoculars on Broadway but I found myself using them again and again just trying to see the actors' facial expressions.
Second, in a pre-performance discussion with musical director George Manahan (for an extra $12, how cheap can they get?), he mentioned that they sped up the tempos and pace of the dialog. For me, this really hurt the dramatic portions of the show. So many impactful moments that come through as so moving on the OBC get lost in the shuffle once on stage.
Lastly, I must agree that Paul Sorvino is just wrong in the role of Tony. Firstly, he is too handsome to be believable as the 'ugly old WOP' as he describes himself. Robert Weede was a bald, odd-looking character who fit the role perfectly. Not only is Sorvino a rather dashing character with his abundant dark hair and classic good looks, in every scene he's dressed in his best Sunday-go-to-meetin' clothes. He runs a RANCH for God's sake. In photos of the original production, Weede was costumed in average, workingman's clothing. It was hard to believe that anyone would buy Sorvino as an ugly man.
But appearances aside, Sorvino insisted on mumbling his was through some of the more dramatic dialog portions and doing really disturbing things during the songs. It may be as a result of acting so much on television and the movies, but his gestures and vocal infections are just too small to be effective on stage. In 'Mama, Mama', which is a hugely dramatic moment in the second act, Rosabella has just told him she loves him but the audience knows something about her that Tony does not. He's absolutely overjoyed and sings a soaring aria to his dear, departed mother about what a wonderful woman she is. We feel his joy but we know it's not going to last. Last night, at the end of the song, Sorvino reached for a really odd note and then seemed surprised he was there and didn't seem to know quite how to come down once he found himself up there. The ‘big finish’, which should’ve really rattled the rafters disintegrated into a rather feeble petering-out of the voice, leaving the orchestra to finish the song by itself. What should have brought a cheer from the audience elicited only a smattering of applause. In addition, Sorvino muffed a few lyrics and had visible trouble recovering in 'Young People Gotta Dance'. (It's even more obvious when the supertitles are right above everyone's head displaying the correct lyrics).
I'm not a regular NYCO patron, but it seemed to me that the audience couldn’t wait to get out of there at the conclusion. The only people who stood were those bolting for the exits.
Lastly, a purely subjective peeve. The show is set in 1934. The opening scene takes place in the Golden Gate Diner in San Francisco. At the entrance to the diner is a neon replica of the Golden Gate Bridge. The only trouble is that the Golden Gate Bridge wasn't built until 1937. Grrrrrr.
PS: According to George Manahan, the first song in the show, Cleo's 'Ooh My Feet' was originally written for a policeman to be sung in GUYS AND DOLLS but was cut. It ended up in Loesser's trunk and resurrected for MOST HAPPY FELLA.
'Our whole family shouts. It comes from us livin' so close to the railroad tracks'
