I saw the show for the third time tonight. I've seen all three kings. For what it's worth, I still think that Watanabe had the most command of the stage and the most intimidating presence. It's been a long time since I saw him in a preview and I'd really have to see him again to compare him to the other two. I had no trouble understanding him, but so many did, even after the first month, that something must have been at work here they we don't understand that governed whether you had trouble understanding him.
Llana I thought might be the weakest king because of his youth and lack of physical stature. But he was fine and that performance was the only one at which I got teary-eyed at the end. That might have been because I was up in the loge that day instead of up front and so close to the actors that they distracted me from the play as a whole.
Tonight, for what I figure will be the last time for me to see it, I was the ultimate close. Seat 101 on the aisle in the first row of orchestra left. When Kelli sat down on a stool to watch the Act 2 ballet, her gown brushed my knee. The actors almost seem to be in your living room. I saw all those bare feet close up and wondered how they managed to keep the stage free of debris that they might step on.
If I were only seeing the musical once, or for the first time, I would sit further back and take in everything as a whole. But if you go back, sitting in the first or second rows to either side of the orchestra pit provides a unique experience.
My first observation on Hoon Lee is that he has a natural comedic side to him. The most laughs were in this production. He and Kelli had the comedy bits down cold, particularly the scene in which she must keep her head lower than his, but also in many other places. I agree that he gave a bravura performance in the whipping scene, however my eyes did not tear-up at the end, which is probably very significant.
Attendance is a sadder matter. Checking with Telecharge in the afternoon, there were about a quarter of the orchestra seats and almost all of the loge available. At game time, to the performers the orchestra seats probably looked full. Which they were, mainly, except for the last two rows and a few patches of bare spots in other places.
The loge, on the other hand, was almost deserted. Right loge and right center loge were empty except for a half dozen people sitting in the first row. My thoughts were that I hoped that the performers didn't see any sparse attendance as this must be discouraging to them.
New TV spots are being rolled out which is usually an early sign of trouble. It really looks like this wonderful musical is not going to have the legs of its sister show, South Pacific, which ran for almost two years. This lavish production of an acknowledged classic from one of our greatest composers and by the greatest book and lyrics author is supposed to do better than a Carole King tribute musical.
I guess that's a topic for a future discussion.
