Grey Gardens Question

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 10:04am

Okay, I have now seen the Musical (and listened to the Recording MANY times before that). I also have the documentary and have seen it several times.

So many questions is "Are Edie and Edith talking to the Documentary Camera Crew in Act II?" I assumed so......just directing it towards the audience. Edie says "Oh, Hi......" at the beginning of Act II like she does in the documentary, so I assumed it was basically the same thing, just perhaps directing it to the audience.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 10:07am

That was my guess. But I couldn't stay awake long enough watching the documentary to really get it.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 10:12am

Really?!?!?! I really enjoyed that Documentary!!!!!!

[Piercemn]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 10:20am

Because the second act is derived from the documentary, even though they're not identified in the musical, you can assume they are talking to the film crew. That didn't bother me, because I was so captivated by the material and thrilled that this is such and important and challenging musical.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 10:24am

Oh, I'm not saying that it bothered me at all, I was just wondering if that's what they were doing.

I LOVED the show and I really hope that PBS or something like that decided to record it!!!!!!

One of the things that I loved was how Edie/Edith went to the window at the end of the first and second Acts, as if she were trapped in Grey Gardens!!!!!!

[jordangirl]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 10:24am

Yeah. I tried on 3 different times at different times of the day to watch it. Fell asleep every time. And I wasn't even that tired those days. Almost made me skip the show. But I went for Christine ~ definitely not the story.

[SondheimFan2]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 12:02am

i think that the audience is supposed to be replacing/in the place of the film crew.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 12:05am

I agree. I think the audience assumes the role of the Maysles.

"I LOVED the show and I really hope that PBS or something like that decided to record it!"

Definitley. It will be a shame if they don't record these two great performances (and this great show).

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 12:10am

"Mother, it's the Maysles!!!!!!"

[dfwtheatreguy]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 12:12am

the documentary is perfection - the musical is crap.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 12:15am

What poor taste.

[Nick Plasia]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 3:23am

Albert Maysles doesn't think it's crap!

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 7:57am

If you watch the scene early in the documentary that the whole "Revolutionary Costume" bit is derived from it's obvious that in the Act 2 opening Edie is talking to the Maysles. The script uses some of the exact lines from the documentary ("Mother wanted me to come out in a kimono...")

This is one thing that's confusing if you haven't seen the documentary. It seems that Edie is coming out and having a friendly chat with a group of strangers standing outside of Grey Gardens, which is the last thing she ever would have done.