Guys and Dolls 3/11/09

[singingshowgirl]

Posted: 3/12/09 at 2:58pm

I saw Guys and Dolls last night. I was hoping that the very very negative reviews that it got could would be wrong and that I would still enjoy it. I mean, it's Guys and Dolls. Fun songs, fun characters, what could go wrong?

So much.

I am seriously debating who was the worst: Oliver Platt, Kate Jennings Grant, and Lauren Graham.

Oliver Platt as Nathan is completely mis-cast. He's too old for the part and plays it stiff and with no personality. He tried to play it like a tough guy, when the whole thing is that these guys act tough, but deep down are sensitive sweet guys. There was no sensitivity for Platt and he didn't really seem to care during "Sue Me" that Adelaide was saying all these terrible things about him.

Kate Jennings Grant as Sarah's singing was very average and her acting was even worse. I feel she mis-interpreted the character of Sarah. I realize that Sarah is uptight and a bit of a prude, but she played the character too obnoxious and not girl-ish. You never felt that she was repressed through her job or that she really had any feelings for Sky. She was slightly better during "If I Were a Bell," but even that was lacking. Everything that came out of her mouth was completely unbelievable. I would say her acting was terrible, but I wouldn't even call it acting. Grrrr.

Lauren Graham as Adelaide might have been the worst simply because Adelaide is a GREAT part. I mean, that is supposed to be a show-stopping part. I did not see Faith Prince in 1992, but knowing her abilities and how she won the Tony for it, I have to imagine that she had the show-stopping quality that Adelaide calls for. Graham got a few laughs here and there, but most things she said just came out very tentative and vague. "Adelaide's Lament" was boring and had no purpose. And I'm a big Lauren Graham fan from Gilmore Girls, so this was sad! Her singing was adequate, but she delivered every single line in this same monotone way.

Craig Bierko as Sky was the only one of the 4 that I like okay. He was fine, nothing sensational, but had he been working opposite people who were good, he would have been much better. He at least got some of the personality and characteristics of Sky. He sang decently and was likable for the most part. He just was working with such awful leads.

The dancers were good, but I didn't particularly like the choreography. And I felt that the dancers had good technique, but had nothing going on in their face. They were just dancing and not telling the story. No personality.

The bottom line that was that no one, other than Craig Bierko sometimes and Mary Testa made any character choices, or any choices AT ALL. Everyone was inter-changeable. Even Titus Burgess, who I liked a lot in Little Mermaid, played Nicely-Nicely just like Sebastian. "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat" was the only slightly entertaining song, but it's towards the end of the show. I had already given up.

It's kind of sad that Mary Testa with her teeeeeeny little part was the best part of the show. I mean, Guys and Dolls has such great numbers, but this just dragged on with no personality. Guys and Dolls is supposed to be so much fun and really give you a sense of the uniqueness of New York City. I got none of that.

And also, the big Julie joke was lost because Oliver Platt is just as big. It might have at least been a little interesting had they made big Julie a REALLY small guy for a contrast.

I don't mean to be so rude and terrible. I'm just stating my opinion. It was very disheartening to see a show I love so much done so badly and with so little energy.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 3/12/09 at 3:15pm

Saw it last night, too. I don't understand how Testa is "the best part of the show." She had one great moment in "Sit Down...", but other than that she was pretty forgettable. I thought Grant was wonderful and that everyone else was completely misdirected. Many were going for the "I'm going to add odd vocal inflections to make this non-joke line funny." But that only ruined the actual jokes in the script. Poorly designed (projections never work), poorly choreographed, and poorly staged. A very bland bland bland production.

[singingshowgirl]

Posted: 3/12/09 at 3:36pm

yeah, i agree mary testa was nothing special, and that's more my point that she wasn't anything so great (and the whole sit down moment with her was kind of strange), but just because she was FINE, i liked her more because i didn't HATE her the way i hated everyone...