Jacques Brel - A Mini-Review

I saw the original of this show and whether you did see the original or you are a virgin at Brel, this revival stands up very well. The music stands the test of time and it is worth seeing with this cast.

Talk about emotional, basic human feelings and writing...this guy was amazing and although the original cast recording is a favorite, there is nothing better than hearing this music live.

This production adds some of his other music to the original content of the show, the songs are pretty appropriate.

Gay Marshall has a kick-butt delivery and a really strong voice and her French is impeccable. Robert Cuccioli (who you may know from Guys and Dolls and Jekyll and Hyde) is a younger Jerry Orbach. Very wry and great delivery. Natascia Diaz captures the poignancy and lets Brel speak for himself. Rodney Hicks is probably the weakest link though he is fine. He's just not as strong as I'd like him to be and he gets lost sometimes.

The theater is funky and really fun and the seats are more comfortable than seats in $250/ticket Broadway theaters.

It is a pleasure to hear people WHO CAN SING...well, to hear them SING, the way the music was meant to be sung.

'Old Folks' and 'Fanette' were standouts in particular, though there were many. The only two changes I wish they had not made were to cut 'The Desperate Ones' short and to change 'You're Not Alone' to a duet at the end. I think it works better as a solo and you lose some of the lyric and the desperation when the two of them start singing together. But there were no changes that HURT the show per se.

I wish Gay Marshall had sung 'If you go away' in English...one of my favorite songs!

Go see this show before it closes. It is wonderful.

P.S. There are a couple of spots in the theater with a restricted view (one is VERY restricted) so be sure to ask when you go to get tickets.

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Updated On: 3/19/06 at 09:48 AM

Just bought my wife yesterday Man of La Mancha in French with Jacques Brel & Joan Diener. She speaks french & lived in france for a year so it made sense

Would like to get back there next year for a week . Hopefully the rioting will have stopped by than. My wife says this reminds her of when she stayed over there while studing at the Sorbonne

We see the show in 2 weeks. Toying with the idea of approaching Cuccioli & saying (with my head held up ) I really enjoyed your performance. I then move my head downward ( ala Edward Hyde ) & say no I did not. I then repeat it. I would love to but I won't

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Updated On: 3/19/06 at 01:49 PM

Actually I didn't say Rodney was a weak link, I said he was the WEAKEST link of all the actors on the stage, but I also said he was fine. In my opinion, he got lost among the rest of the players at times.

I do agree that his portrayal of The Statue was good, and as an inserted song it definitely fit. Actually, the songs where I thought he was more of a standout were 'Next', 'Madeleine' and 'The Bulls'

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Updated On: 3/19/06 at 10:14 PM