Ha, yes CukorLover, normally I do dissect shows I see in my mind, and I have more to say about this, but I was watching Smash while I typed that up and was paying more attention to the TV than to what I was typing! You are right though in that I didn't have an overtly strong reaction to it either way.
I didn't really like how the show started out with "Sante Fe"/Prologue. It felt unnecessary and the song is reprised so much during the evening I don't know why we needed to hear it here. The second opening, "Carrying the Banner" was textbook what they needed to kick off the show.
Like I said before, the group numbers are the highlight of the show. I have to give credit to all the young actors for creating distinctive ensemble roles without (m)any lines of dialogue. I felt the same way about the ensemble of Mormon. This is not a bunch of generic, cookie cutter guys.
Harvey's book was weak for me. Nothing was cringeworthy or anything. It just was rather dull in spots and nothing much seemed to happen. There was never any danger that Jack (Jeremy Jordan) would ever abandon the cause or that the newsies wouldn't succeed. I realize this is a family show so maybe you couldn't make those threats too real, but I would have preferred a little more conflict.
John Dossett has one scene/song near the top of act one and then we don't see him again until act two. Hard to have your antagonist barely appear in the show and have us fear that he is really a threat.
Jenkins has pulled an even shorter straw. She gets about a 90 second ditty to perform in act one and has a handful of lines in the second act. Let the big black lady stop the show- not only because she can, but it would be a nice break from the big dance showstoppers.
The set is impressive- three tall metal towers that spin and move downstage. Everything looks very expensive; you feel like you are getting your money's worth in terms of production value. This a good thing when there aren't any discount codes!
The weirdest thing for me was the audience response. It was so over the top in love with the show I can't remember when I've seen something like it. They chuckled at the book scenes, but went ape sh!t crazy after and during the group numbers. It was like on Dancing with the Stars when someone does a little turn or a dip and the studio audience goes NUTS and you think, "why is everyone responding like this?" So out of proportion to what was just performed. That was the response tonight. I understand exploding at the end of the ensemble dance numbers, but leap, twirl and kick sent the crowd into a frenzy. I don't know if audiences will continue to act this way or this will be a thing with friends and family in previews.
There are flaws, but it's good and enjoyable. I tend to enjoy theater that resonates with me emotionally more than this did so I didn't have quite the enthusiastic reaction others on this thread had.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
Updated On: 3/20/12 at 01:07 AM
