From the time my family and I decided to go on a relatively last-minute trip to New York this spring, I have been fairly consumed with Great Comet and War and Peace. I started reading the novel on the cross-country flight, skipped ahead to the section covered by the musical the night before, then saw the show - which I thought would be fun but found wonderful and moving. Since then, I slowly finished the novel, wrapping it up earlier this month. And I have spent plenty of time listening to the cast recording.
So the escalating disasters of the last few days have made me very sad. I understand some of the reasons why it happened, and there was always a big question of how the show would manage without Josh Groban.
But this isn't like being a fan of Hamilton, which prints money wherever it goes, or even Fun Home or Hedwig, both of which toured successfully. I wasn't likely to see Great Comet on Broadway again, because I won't be in New York soon. But I didn't think it would be gone within weeks, most likely, even though my practical side had doubts. And that makes me more emotional than I should be, mostly on behalf of the cast and creative folks behind the show.
Dave Malloy, with help from Rachel Chavkin and many others, created a unique musical, albeit one that didn't seem likely to have a long run. To have it end this way, caught between commercial pressures and clumsy production decisions, breaks my heart. Of all shows, to have Great Comet conclude its run abruptly, surrounded by ugly accusations of racial insensitivity, just feels wrong.
That's 2017, I guess. But the musical was awesome. And that's what counts, even in the business of show.
Updated On: 7/28/17 at 10:14 PM
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