Jenifer Lewis in Hello Dolly!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 2:57pm

Caught the show here in Seattle on Thursday. I was ultimately dissapointed in the overall production.

Lewis' performance suffers greatly from a mostly wooden cast and uninspired direction. I really wanted to love Lewis, but found her performance lacking, again, mostly due to those she was surrounded by. She was in fine voice but I found her Dolly a tad too contemporary. Many of her line readings were pure Lewis, which is fine, but took me out of the world of Dolly!.

This production makes the criminal mistake of playing Golden Age Musical Comedy as if it is a dinosaur. There is nothing fresh to be found here. Again, I was thrilled to see Lewis in the role, but the support she needed to give a blockbuster performance isn't present. Ultimately a disappointment in something I was greatly looking forward to.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 9:52pm

I totally agree...saw it last Wednesday night, and was less than impressed. The male lead could not even stay up with the music, and frankly I did not even think Lewis was that great.

I was impressed by the guy that played Cornelius (can't find my program) and thought the ensemble was great.....other than that, blah

[Broadway Baby 2]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 2:04am

I am hopeing for a revival of Dolly with a two time Tony wining diva!
Updated On: 3/16/09 at 02:04 AM

[FMills]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 9:25am

Saw it this weekend. Big ol' meh from me. It felt like your typical community production, which is extra lame in that giant theater. jennifer Lewis had her moments, but she should OWN that role, which she didn't. It was all very luke-warm.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 11:30am

exactly.....it's more like she rented the role...