standingovation79 said: "R and H are the gold standard when it comes to a broadway melody, thereis no disputing that. Their bookwriting skills on the other hand, vary from show to show. For me, Carousel is one of the shows where the music runs circles around the bookwriting. And unfortunately now in 2018, the bookwriting feels sexist andin light of the #METOO Movement feels out of touch with its potential audience. This tale of a wife beating criminal who commits suicide only to be given a second change and beat the daughter he never met begs the question...why tell this story? Why now? People may disagree with me, but I believe this is the most important question one needs to ask itself when deciding to work on a revival. What is the immediate significance that this show brings to people?
Unfortunately, an Alist creative team and cast doesn't answer that in this2018 Broadway Revival of Carousel. The brilliant director Jack O'Brien approaches the material as if it were 1945. There is not a broader sense of history or the context of what was happening in American culture at the late 19th/ early 20th century. Songs like Soliloquy are a great opportunity to now get into the head space of an imperfect man with imperfect ideas and values of the time...unfortunately with out highlighting these the song takes on an almost irresponsible tone and puts out a questionable message at this moment in time. What's the Use of Wond'rin doesn't help by simplifying why someone like Julie stays with and stands with this Man. Mr. O'Brien seems ok with letting the material speak for itself, but I'm not sure that's the right thing to do here. When it was written attitudes about the roles of Men and women where different. Its impossible to judge that historical context, but it is possible to put it in a perspective that modern culture can understandlike the way Bart Sher has done with South Pacific and the King and I. O'brien misses that opportunity throughout the entire show.
The cast is uniformly wonderful. Joshua Henry with his Sidney Poitier like voice and presence sings Billy Bigelow with passion and intensity and proves race matters 0 when it comes casting. One would think Miss McDonald proved that years ago but, we move slow here in America. Him being black brings nothing new to this production at the same time does nothing to effect its integrity. He's right for the role and talented enough to pull it off and of story. More interesting to me would have been to do this with entire black cast. Maybe then an exploration of a community living and responding to the times in which they live would have been explored. Jessie Mueller as Julie is wonderful as always. But the part isn't big enough for her enormous talents. They feel a bit wasted here. The fact that the two lovers of almost no chemistry is working against them though. The major stand out for me was Lindsay Mendez in a career best as Carrie. She feels new, like the role is being reinvented. Her character actually changes over time. She breathes humor and imperfect personality into the role. It's refreshing. A tony nomination is in her future. Renee Fleming feels wrong as Nettie Fowler. Her voice is too classically trained for June is Bustin' Out All Over and she doesn't come across as a character in the show rather a spotlight singer. Of course she shows the value of a singer of her caliber in the rightfully famous and beloved, You'll Never Walk Alone. Margaret Colin feels too polished as Mrs. Mullin. Amar Ramasar, a wonderful dancer, is not the least bit convincing as criminal street rat Jigger Craigin. The dancing chorus is joyously expressing movement throughout the entire show.
The set by Santo Loquasto is New England by way of Broadway glitz. Think ocean backdrops with glitter to accent glistening. It gives the story a unnecessary dream like quality that plays into the storys imperfections and almost glosses over them instead of deals with them. The problem emergences again. This creative team doesnt seem to want to deal with the realities of the material. Forrest scapes feel more like they should be from Into the Woods than Carousel. Glamorous gauzy curtains move in and out of space and give the show an ethereal feel. It goes against the grain. A giant mechanical carousel top flies in from above and unfolds on the stage for dancers to dance under....its more sci fi than sea coast.
The costumes By Ann Roth are unfortunate looking and ill conceived. Some characters feel overdressed for their stationothers just look unflattering. The high waisted pirate pant and skin tight sweater that she has Billy wearing throughout is so jarring that it takes you out of lots of dramatic moments. Their is a taste issue with dress prints and finishings. It feels dishonest, not real, not character specific. The graduation looks at the end are fantastic though.
The lighting design by Brian MacDevitt is a class act all around. Clambake and the Mainland Waterfront are masterful. The sound design by Scott Lehrer feels just right.
The choreography by Justin Peck, although graceful in all its classic ballet traditions, feels equal parts dance class experiment and like one big dance break. He misses opportunity for character with every step. It gives the show an old fashioned feel in all the wrong ways.
Honestly, I would pass on this production if you are looking for a Carousel with relevancy to 2018. I think they would have been better served to ask the R&H Estate for a revisal where a great writer could have made some smart much needed changes to the book. Or and I hate to say it because i have tremendous respect for the Jack O'Brien and his work, a director like the great Hal Prince (What he did to Show Boat in the 90s is masterful) or Barlet Sher who would have taken a magnifying glass to the material and combined it with a historical context that is relevant to the times in which we live right now. There is no real reason to put Carousel on Broadway without that.
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Why tell this story today? So people like you can tell everyone why they shouldn't tell this story today because you simply cannot understand anything except how things are perceived today and with all due respect, that is a total bore. Oh, and doesn't "beat" his daughter - what show did you see? As to the rest of your long screed, well, sorry stop trying to sound like a critic because you're not. And don't call Mr. Sher "Bart" and then misspell his name as Barlet. And yes, just what Carousel needs, a "smart" brilliant writer to come in and save poor Oscar Hammerstein. Just like David Henry Hwang did for Flower Drum Song and we know how that worked out and they did that for the exact same reasons you're suggesting this be done.
This PC BS has to stop. Carousel is a classic for a reason and we don't need to pander to people who don't seem to look beyond their current year to enjoy and understand a show. But yes, let's just rewrite anything that doesn't scan well for 2018. Bring in a writer to revise Lolita, let's start there, because some little darling somewhere might be triggered or made uncomfortable. This isn't how it works, I'm afraid, and every time they try they fail. You think the revival of Annie Get Your Gun is better than the original, with all its ridiculous show within a show stuff? I don't. Flower Drum Song was a travesty. Do the show, trust the material, and the "smart" people in the audience will come along for the ride.
Whether this production does justice to Carousel of not is something else, but what you're suggesting is just plain noxious.
Updated On: 3/5/18 at 12:27 AM
