FOAnatic climbs THE APPLE TREE (12/6 2pm)

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 7:59pm

***SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS***









Seeing THE APPLE TREE today reminded me of why I love musical theatre.

Going into the show, I was unfamiliar with much of what it was about. I knew the basics: three acts and their basic plots. All I had to compare the show to was the wonderful Barbara Harris performance on the Broadways Lost Treasures DVD.

I have heard people ask "Why now?" in reference to reviving this show...and I figure the answer is plainly evident: We didn't have the performer who could deliver such a performance until Kristin Chenoweth came along. A broad statement to make...but I stand by it.

Chenoweth is simply enchanting. She manages to make a wonderful transition in "The Story of Adam and Eve." Starting out as a bubbly blonde (reminiscent of her Sally in YAGMCB) with a sharp wit and spot on comic timing, to a loving mother holding down the homefront and growing to love Adam. When he announced that Eve had passed away...my heart hurt. It had been so long since a moment in the theatre had touched me that way. Her voice is in tip-top shape as always and that big white smile lights up the stage. Her Princess Barbara was a delight. Channeling a Lucille Ball-esque persona, she commands the stage and we can't take our eyes off of her. Though the act is brief, her character leaves a lasting impression and the audience hanging. And, finally, comes "Passionella." A simple tour-de-force. Many may think it's her same old schtick...but I disagree. Yes, it's a character close to what she's played before...but she truly makes it her own. It takes a skilled comedienne to take four characters like hers and accentuate their individual personas while tying them together around the same basic theme. She's a true TONY contender.

I was never much of a fan of Brian d'arcy James...until this show. Along with Eve, he makes quite a transition from stubborn "man of the house" to loving husband and father. When Eve died...I truly felt for him. You can sense the pain in his face and tone. It's heart-breaking. He really shows his knack for impressions in Captain Sanjar (channeling Sean Connery) and, finally, his Flip is simply hilarious.

Marc Kudisch delivers a fine performance as the snake. He oozes evil. But, after that, he's really underused. He makes good use out of what he's given...but it's not much. His narration of "Passionella" was wonderful. He has that natural television announcer voice which worked well in his bits as the "fairy godmother" but there were times I simply felt Griffin was trying to find ways to use him.

As far as the sets are concerned...I don't know why people are saying it's cheap-looking. Did we see the same show? I thought the design for "The Story of Adam and Eve" was wonderfully set up. From Chenoweth's entrance it's aware that she's carries all the beauty of Eden inside her. And it comes full circle at the end of the act when Adam states that, outside of the garden, Eve brought Eden with her. Eve is Eden and, wherever she went, she carried the beauty with her. Whether decorating the hut or naming the creatures...the simplicity of the background only served to accentuate that humanity and the animals were the true beauty of Eden. "The Lady or the Tiger?" had a wonderfully extravagant Arabian set with utilizing pastels to their utmost limit, but not to the point where it's too much. "Passionella" reminded me of an old comic strip/variety show. It's a tongue-in-cheek story of rags-to-riches and that whole type of scenario is "unreal" as Flip would say. I found it enthralling.

The lighting was absolutely impeccable. It's amazing how the right lighting designer can add so much to feeling and pace. Costumes were generally wonderful except for the male ensemble costumes during "The Lady or the Tiger?" They looked like they came from a Party supply store.

Griffin does a fine job directing his leads...nothing ground-breaking, but satisfactory. But, I feel he doesn't know what to do with ensemble. I don't know what it was, but the staging of ensemble numbers seemed amateur-ish. Like he had no ideas so he went he just went with BIG. BIG reactions. BIG arm movements (which isn't totally his fault). BIG smiles. It seemed a bit fake. As if he told them to just: "Stand there and smile."

Tunick's orchestrations are MARVELOUS. This may be one of my favorite Bock and Harnick scores. It's so lush and full. Something I had been missing for some time.

Overall...I had a terrific time. This show is a true classic and if you want to see one of our generations finest comic singer/actresses in a show literally built around her...then it is not to be missed. You just leave the theatre smiling. It's a simply heart-warming and delicious show.

Take a bite out of THE APPLE TREE.

Updated On: 12/6/06 at 07:59 PM

[Johnnytoc]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:03pm

I cannot wait to see this on the 16th!

[gumbo2]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:08pm

Good review. I totally agree with you about the ensemble. I was pretty underwhelmed by what they were doing onstage. It was like...so what? I liked the sets for the 2nd and 3rd acts, but I thought Eden should be just a LITTLE more decked out, you know? I thought the ladders were cool and everything but a little more would've been nice.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:23pm

I can understand.

But I thought it was fine the way it is.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:29pm

FOAnatic- Great Review! I agree with everything you said, esspecially with Marc being underused.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:31pm

A tree would have been nice.

[jasobres]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:32pm

You're the umpteenth person who said that Kristin is playing "three" roles. She plays FOUR for crying out loud. I count Ella and Passionella as two separate roles
and so does Kristin.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:33pm

Take a chill pill.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:34pm

Seriously...3 or 4....what's the big deal?

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:34pm

Jesus Christ, calm down.

[jasobres]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:37pm

I am calm.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:39pm

I didn't think jasobres was really freaking out or anything...I would count that as 4 roles, too. Ella and Passionella are totally different. ...And now I have "I'm Calm" stuck in my head.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:42pm

This is a show I wish would be broadcast on Great Performances.

Because it's full of them.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:43pm

Yankee- There was a tree

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:45pm

Oh, you mean they added one since Saturday?

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:46pm

I think neddy is referring to the curtain.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:50pm

Aww, too bad. That's what Eden was missing....a nice big tree.
I'll be in the chatroom if any of you want to share thoughts. Updated On: 12/6/06 at 08:50 PM

[WesternSky2]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 9:11pm

So glad you enjoyed it and liked Brian! Can't wait to see it on the 16th.

[Horton]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 9:34pm

This show is so unknown just because it was overshoadowed in its year of opening.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 9:36pm

What shows opened in the year that it opened?

[jewishboy]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 9:52pm

Cabaret

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 10:10pm

I DO! I DO!


Foa, I respectfully disagree, but am very glad that you loved it.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 10:27pm

Such is the beauty of the theatre.

The world would be quite a boring place if we all loved the same things.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 10:28pm

Which is why I am not faulting you.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 10:32pm

True.

But you know if you don't love THE FIRST WIVES CLUB when it opens...we can never speak again.