Gone with the Wind Review 4.10.08

[BillFinn]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:23am

I originally posted this on the West End board, but I feel like people in the U.S. should read it. For Jill Paice and Darius's performances. Also, I'm sure it's being looked at for a Broadway transfer. However, if it offends people, feel free to delete the post.

*This was a preview performance. The show hasn't opened yet. But I won't be able to see the show once it's opened, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. They are still making cuts and changes!*

I would give this show a C+.

I knew this was going to be “interesting” when I heard someone sing “We will never be the same again!” Seriously? American actors singing/mourning the loss of their CONFEDERATE soldiers on the London stage. Honey, I already KNOW you’re never going to be the SAME again!

An asterisks means the audience clapped at the number.

ACT ONE
“Born To Be Free” - Slaves
“On Your Land” – Mr. O’Hara & Scarlett
“Mrs. O’Hara’s Prayer” – Mrs. O’Hara & Ensemble

When Mrs. O’Hara came on stage, you knew you didn’t mess with her. I love this woman. There was a line, “For us, praying together was the event.” She was such a motherly and ghostly figure throughout the musical to Scarlett. She was always looking OVER Scarlett from Tara’s roof. I loved that. One of the few times the direction worked. Props Trevor Nunn!

“Good Time, Good Cheer” – The O’Hara’s & Ensemble
* “She’s No Lady” – The Women

“She’s No Lady” got a real reaction out of the audience. It was so well written and put together. While Scarlett was flirting with the boys in the corner of the stage, four women were commenting on her. Highlighted in pinks and purples, wearing gawky dresses! Saying things like she’s “Babylonian baggage.” Keeping in mind, about twenty to twenty-five minutes of the show has already gone by? This was the first time the audience clapped for a number.

“Softly” – Scarlett & Ashley
“Come Join the Troops” – The Men

There was some awkward flag choreography going on. Those men need to get comfortable playing with a stick… Later on, Scarlett married and widowed Charles Hamilton IN THE SAME SCENE. One of the fastest costume changes I’ve ever seen!

“The Very Best People – Atlanta’s Women and Men

The Bazaar Scene ran so long in between these songs. It could have been such a big production number, instead of a talking scene. They were dancing after all! The run crew was late taking off set pieces. That was strange.

“I’m Your Man” – Rhett
* “Scarlett O’Hara Again” – Scarlett

“Scarlett O’Hara Again” was another number that got a big reaction from the audience. This is the first time Jill Paice got a solo. It’s her big “I Want” song. Unfortunately, it took an hour and a marriage to get there! She talks about how she’s constrained in Atlanta’s living and society (something she once desperately wanted!). All she wants is to be free (something that was sung earlier by the blacks) and be back at Tara, to be Scarlett O’Hara again. It was a beautiful song.

“Can This Be The Life?” – Mourners

Whoever wrote this song, must have just seen a production of "Assassins." It reminded me of "Something Just Broke," except with southern music. Boring lyrics.

“Softly” (Reprise) – Ashley
“I’m Your Man” (Reprise) – Rhett
* “Gone with the Wind” – Scarlett

Think of “I’m Here” from The Color Purple. One long monologue, with a closing familiar phrase. The music was blase. The lyrics were generic. She affirms to herself, “The life I used to know is GONE WITH THE WIND!!!!!!!” They didn’t use the infamous line “I’ll never go hungry again!!!” I wonder if that was a MGM issue.

ACT TWO
“Born To Be Free (Reprise)” – Slaves
“Melanie’s Prayer (Desperate Times)” - Melanie
“Abundantly Present” – Ashley
“Nobody Knows You” – Rhett
* “I’m Gonna Find My Own” – Prissy
“On Your Land (Reprise)” – Ensemble
“She’s No Lady (Reprise)” – Women
“Eternity of Shame” – Scarlett
* “On the Wings of a Dove” – Slaves

This was a big gospel choir number. I don’t understand why this is in the middle of Act II. It’s a beautiful song, but it should be closing an Act. Also, the staging was a little too obvious. They were all facing us and clapping their hands. After they belted their hearts out, people started trickling out. I’m guessing it was pushing 10:30pm at this time.

“Reconstruction Planning” – Atlanta’s Men and Women

This was the weirdest song in the entire show. Not only was the music was vaudevillian, but the choreography was something out of “Guys and Dolls.” The actors were snapping their fingers, towards the ground (think of the Jets in “West Side Story?” – opening shot of the movie). It was strange choreography, for a random number. Just Wow.

* “All the Pleasures” – Rhett
“I’m Your Man (Reprise)” – Rhett
“Once Upon a Time” – Rhett
* “Every Child” – Mammy
“Once Upon a Time (Reprise)” – Rhett
“Alone” – Rhett and Scarlett
“Melanie’s Prayer (Reprise)” – Melanie

By the end of this song, people were obviously leaving to catch trains and buses. Some people didn’t stick around for curtain call. They smelled an ending.

“Gone with the Wind (Reprise)” – Scarlett & Ensemble

Strangely, this song worked much better as an ensemble. I don’t know what it was. Maybe they were saving all the best lyrics for the closing act group number?

“The future calls. The past is gone with the wind.”
“Live with hope, because tomorrow is another day,
That will be gone with the wind!”



The overall concept and direction is that these are players telling a story. The director’s vision was to break the fourth wall and having the actors walk into the audience. The audience pathways become a part of the stage and blocking for the actors. It was a great use of the space. One thing is breaking the fourth wall, blocking wise. However, it got out of hand. As players telling a story, the ensemble spoke in the narrative a lot. A lot… being 80% of the time. Most of the story was told to us. Described to us. “Scarlett felt this way. Rhett did this to her. Atlanta never saw a harsher winter.” They never SHOWED us these things. They told us. And that got old… FAST. Especially, when most of Act II was in the narrative. They had to wrap up things fast. And then, Rhett and Scarlett jumped on the band wagon and started talking about themselves in the third person.

Example:
Jill Paice as Scarlett (as she looks out the window happily): “And Scarlett thought…!”

Jill Paice was a good Scarlett O’Hara, but she wasn’t great. This character is definitive. You need a strong belter. Her voice is lovely, but I feel like it’s too frail at times. You need someone with a powerhouse. Lots of vibrato. A force to be reckoned with. That’s opinion though. Overall, her performances was good! Her progression from whiney brat to fierce witch was apparent. There was a moment she gave a slave a watch. She goes “You loved him. He loved you. TAKE IT!” It was brief, but it showed her as a caretaker. But poor Jill. She is on stage 94% of the time and wears a heavy black dress. What was the costume designer thinking???

One guy that stood out was the man playing Ashley Wilkes. Overdramatic. Smug. Lanky. No offense, but his love for Melanie. Didn’t buy it. His make out scenes with Scarlett were more akin to “Sex and the City” more than anyone else. He was too clean for a lot of the battle scenes. His grand gestures and strutting were just too mechanical. I think most of it was just bad direction, but seriously. Part of what is endearing about Ashley Wilkes is that he is such a Good man. This Ashley Wilkes is from Damages or Skins. Maybe a future Link Larkin.

Characterization was mostly butchered. If they rename it “Scarlett: The Musical,” I’ll be totally fine. But what I came to love about the movie were the relationships developed and the finely tuned characters of Melanie, Ashley, Mr. O’Hara. Shoot, even Mrs. O’Hara! Mammy, Polk, etc. You’ll find none of that here. These characters run (yes, I said it. RUN!) on and off the stage so briskly that you barely come to know them at all. There’s only person you get to know. And that is SCARLETT.

It broke my heart Melanie had such a small role. That explains why Belle was cut! She was so one note too. Ugh. Don't get me started...

Confederate Flags were everywhere. They set the Confederate Flag on fire. That’s something I’ll never see happen in Florida! I bought the program (with no production photos… or songs… thanks?) The stage was bathed in brown, autumn lights. They had a revolve on stage. Thank God. They spun that baby like nobody’s business. Tara wasn’t stunning. Mary Poppin’s house outdoes it. Money was invested into this production, but I’m afraid the costume budget ate most of it. The lighting is gorgeous. The incidental music was nice. Most of the songs were forgettable and the lyrics were generic. Only a handful of them were actually good and it’s ironic that the same handful got a round of applause from the audience. Everything else got no reaction from the audience.

Some really tacky staging included moments like when the ensemble ran on stage from the audience and huddled together to “create the illusion” that Scarlett was fighting her way through a crowd… then in the same second they threw themselves on the stage and acted in angst and pain. Melanie’s birth was too quick. It happened in under 5 minutes. Another example is when they created the scene of Bonnie’s death. A group of men put her in their arms, trod on stage, and in slow motion, she “fell” on stage. As someone (in the narrative, of course) told them what was going on, Rhett and the ensemble froze in place (with the group of men--- awkwardly standing there… as horses). And then they ran after her… two feet away. Oh my!

The libretto is another issue. They force feed you information. Like, someone explained to Scarlett what carpetbagger and scalawag meant. If you’re coming to see Gone with the Wind: The Musical, I hope to God you know what those terms mean.

Please remember this “Gone with the Wind” isn’t the exact “Gone with the Wind” you came to know and love from the movie. I think it stems closer to the book. Some major differences include the absence of the prostitute, Belle. Melanie Wilkes plays a small role. Aunt Pitty Pat is in almost every scene now. Ashley Wilkes is painted differently, much more of a pig. And Scarlett has children with Charles Hamilton and Frank (whom we don’t see until the later part of Act 2? Those poor children!). In the movie, they really SHOW you the impact of the casualty list of the men who died from war and ALL of those women weeping. Here, Rhett Butler casually hands out the list? And the women sing, “Can This All Be the Life We’ll Know?” Wow.

Memorable lines:
+ (After Scarlett denies Rhett sex) “The world is full of beds. Most of them, with women.” – Rhett

+ “There are no NICE Republicans!” – Melanie

Tonight, there was a malfunction. In the middle of Act II, the plank got stuck. The show kept going around the stage managers, trying to put it off stage. (It got awkward!) Then the stage manager made an announcement and we spent five minutes, watching the assistant stage managers trying to haul this huge piece of wood off stage. They finally did and then Jill Paice got on stage. The lighting guy didn’t get on his cue, so she said “I think we can go!…” and smiled. It was great. We all clapped for her.

Updated On: 4/14/08 at 11:23 AM

[singingbackup]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:26am

Great review...nice to hear about our Broadway darling Jill Paice! Also interesting to read about such an "American" show, so popular a story. Wondering just why this was never done in the states and if it will make it to Broadway?

[philly03]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:32am

Sounds like the show is ... rough.

But love to hear about Jill Paice!

Great review. Is it not common for people to clap after the majority of songs in the UK?

[BillFinn]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:36am

I've been to Wicked, Sound of Music, The Harder They Come, Peter Pan. It's just like Broadway. They clap after EVERY song. It was so awkward the audience didn't clap. It meant they were uncomfortable.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:44am

Thanks Bill- great review! Nice to hear from you again

J*

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:45am

Is the show still around four hours, or have cuts been made?

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 12:17pm

Do you think it can be fixed? By your description it sounds dreadful.
Some things just seem so wrong from the start, you know?

[BillFinn]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 12:34pm

It can be saved. If you cut half of the songs and get a new director. They need to move things along faster though or cut things that really don't tell us anything. For instance, Scarlett had two children prior to Bonnie. That's great--- but it didn't add anything to the story! Those poor children came in 3 hours later FOR NO REASON. Cut. Cut. Cut. Her duet with Ashley, "Softly." I haven't heard such generic, imagery since "Little Women." It did nothing to their relationship, that we didn't already know.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 12:42pm

Obviously I can't comment on the score, but the third person story telling is something that is just so lazy. I can't STAND that crap.

[philly03]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 1:50pm

"and get a new director."

Thankyou! I don't know why Trevor Nunn has such a good reputation...maybe because of his association with Lloyd Webber? I'm not sure. But most of his shows end up as flops and he is a lazy director.
Roundtable & Projections are his name. Les Miserables -- I was fine with the roundtable. But Sunset was unoriginal with the projections (the silhoutes are fine) but the car chase scene?
And the Woman in White was "innovative"...but most critics tore it apart. It's bound that all the rest of his projections will have a roundtable or projections. Could you imagine if Hal Prince turned down Phantom of the Opera? :o!


But I actually suprisingly do want this to transfer just so I can see Jill Paice in the role!

[lakezurich]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 1:57pm

sounds like a great flop in the making... I want to see it

[BillFinn]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 2:09pm

Jill Paice is okay. My problem with her is she doesn't know what to do in the role. She wanders around the stage mostly with no guidance or grasp of who she is. Her voice is lovely, if she was an u/s. But she's not. It should be stronger for THE Scarlett O'Hara. To match Vivian Leigh's icon. If you ask me, they should have begged Laura Benanti, Ruthie Henshall, or Linda Eder to take the part. You need someone with considerable classical training to take this shakey libretto and make it seem like gold. Poor Jill just seems uneasy and screamy in most of it. She DOES do well with the songs that are good though and that's how I know it's not Jill's fault. She shines in "Scarlett O'Hara Again" and "Eternity of Shame." I'm mixed about her.

Darius is another story. A confident, well-executed, and stern one. :) Damn.

Updated On: 4/13/08 at 02:09 PM

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 2:11pm

It sounds like Rhett is barely there....Hopefully it can be saved.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 3:10pm

SueleenGay I totally agree! The laziest form of literary adaptation. Nothing has moved on since Nicholas Nickleby, clearly.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 3:17pm

What about the burning of Atlanta? Is it there? Does it at least look good?

[BillFinn]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 3:48pm

No. The lighting paints the backdrop in blood red. Tara's roof, divided into 3 wooden planks, falls slowly. It's really cheesy, like the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

[lakezurich]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 3:52pm

But that is a GREAT ride.

[philly03]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 4:16pm

"If you ask me, they should have begged Laura Benanti, Ruthie Henshall, or Linda Eder to take the part."

LINDA is great at EVERYTHING! She would have been an awesome Scarlet. (haha)

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 4:41pm

But what about the chest hair?!

[SweeneyPhanatic]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 7:47pm

Kinda OT: Can anyone tell me where I can hear the London cast recording of the 1972 musical version? Was it ever released on CD, or do I have to hunt down an LP someone doesn't want anymore?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 7:53pm

Never released on CD & doubt it will be

The LP album is quite nice actually. The music is nice while not being memorable.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 7:57pm

Jill Paice "our Broadway Darling"????
WTF?

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 8:03pm

The CD of the 1972 show at Drury Lane, is due for release October. 3 or 4 companies have been fighting to take the rights for it and the last thing i heard was they were going for October. Columbia /EMI originally released the LP. Its 20 years since i heard it last and it is shocking!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 8:08pm

Wow. The CD is coming out. My LP is kind of beaten up.Great news

I wonder if it will be a more complete recording. I know from the liner notes not all music was included. If they recorded it all & still had the masters, maybe they migh include it

I remember the critics were not to kind to Harve Presnell (one referred to him as having the appeal of a popsicle stick or something to that effect). I do not think they were much kinder to Pernell Roberts who did it in the US. He was in Mata Hari & than this which closed out of town. Guy had no luck.

Updated On: 4/13/08 at 08:08 PM

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 8:16pm

We can only hope for any extras. The original LP was released in two versions.
One, a normal LP cover, the other a gate fold which had a few production pics. I did have the gate fold at one point but now only have the normal cover so Im hoping that those few pictures will be present in the CD. The problem is is that the small company's that fight to get these old shows on to CD are very hard pressed for cash so most of the releases are basic. We shall see, i was so over the moon being told this a few days ago.