Saw it last night after having read a lot of the reviews and posts about D.C. and despite my love for the show, based on what I read, I was expecting to have a mixed reaction. Happy to report that the production far exceeded expectations, and it looks like many positive changes have been made since DC. As a 13 or 14 year old I was fortunate enough to see the original production twice, and though I can't remember the details much beyond the two female leads and the set, it has haunted me as one of my favorite productions ever.
This version: loved the set and loved the ghosts and I loved the mystery of them not being more front and center - they made an exotic, dark tableau. I found the whole thing really striking, visually, and made the Marquis contract, which is a very very good thing.
The new cast members were terrific - Mary Beth Peil looked so amazingly elegant in the opening and then nailed the humor in the role and her song was 95% THERE. Jayne Houdyshell was just perfect and also made an immediate impression upon entry. Does she have the voice to end all voices to sock it to Broadway Baby? - no - but her good cheer and enjoyment sold it for me.
Biggest surprise for me last night after reading the early reviews was Elaine Paige. I thought she was terrific! - though yes, she did spin a little out of control at the end, I heard every word she said - no conversational mumbling in the song, and she nailed the dialogue. It didn't have that dryness of delivery of Yvonne De Carlo, but it had a sort of Dynasty-B tv actress flavor of its own. But her bio needs to change - talk about diva-tude!
Jan Maxwell and Danny Burstein have been praised to the hilt in these pages and deservedly - LOVED HIM - wow, brought more of an edge to Buddy than I expected and wildly talented in the song and dance, and Buddy became a real character. None of the age differences bothered me - this is theater. Thought Maxwell brought a nice softness to Phyllis and her Could I Leave You was all one could ask for. Yes, Lucy and Jessie was a little disappointing - largely because I think it doesn't reveal anything new about Phyllis, as opposed to the other 3 characters' numbers. Thought the Loveland backdrop (not sure what to call it) was fabulous.
Ron Raines was better than I expected - he's an old school middle aged leading man (reminded me of a Robert Goulet style), even in his vocal enunciations and phrasing, but I think this worked for Ben, and he displayed more emotion than had been written about - I felt (a little) for him in his breakdown.
And Bernadette, whom I worship, but was a little uh oh about after reading the DC reviews - well I thought she was tremendous. She had obviously thought hard about Sally and I felt she was nuanced, not cutesy, not overly sympathetic, and interesting Sally. Sally seems so formed by the era she was created in, ie 1970 with her out of sync with the late 60s mix of hippies and women's lib. I was really struck by how seeing it now is so different than seeing it then, because now it reflects the era it came from as well as the earlier eras it depicts. Of course Losing My Mind was amazing. I saw pix of the old dress, and this one seems much more Sally.
As for Who's That Woman - and how differently it is played in this version - I don't mind it. Terri White has a great voice, though I miss the sarcasm of the original, and while this changes the tone, it also celebrates the performers, and gives the proceedings a positive energy lift, which is in counterpart to the rest of the show and I liked it - although might like the original more - not sure.
All in all, yeah, the book still weighs the proceedings down, but so thrilling to have Follies back in a production which serves the entirety of it very well - feel lucky to have seen it again in middle age. Sure hope audiences come to see it and thank you, producers, for bringing it to Broadway.
Updated On: 8/11/11 at 11:26 AM
