Josh Gad's First Performance as Barfee

[bigrab1018]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 8:09am

Did anyone see it and have any review they'd like to share?

[Feathah]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 8:51am

Bump!

I'd like to hear how he did, too.

[liotte]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 9:04am

Me too!!

I am going to try to go tonight.

[Feathah]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 10:39am

Good luck! Let us know how he does!

I *never* win lotto. sigh.....

[liotte]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 1:24pm

Ok, I got a ticket for tonight's show. I'll report back.

[bigrab1018]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:11pm

yay liotte! are you doing standing room? please post a detailed review...i'm going to the producers tonight.

[liotte]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 10:53pm

Just got home from Bee. Josh was a lot of fun to watch, so very very very different from Dan.

[spellingbee_ROCKS007]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 11:42pm

ooo...cool!anything else interesting happen?

[Feathah]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 11:46pm

Details! We need details!

[QMAN03]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 11:51pm

Yes, please. More details. Like how was he different?

[bigrab1018]

Posted: 2/2/06 at 8:11am

bump to liotte

[liotte]

Posted: 2/2/06 at 8:41am

Lisa Y was on as Rona, she did a great job as usual when she plays that role. Except for missing one cue by a couple seconds and causing Jesse to improvise, but whatever, I'm the only one who knew. And the word corsia (I don't know how to spell it) that Barfee gets at the end is actually pronounced cor-I-sa, which Greg changed now that there is a new Barfee. Also, the voice at the beginning ("Miss Peretti, please spell syzygy...We have a winner!") used to be Dan's deep voice, now it is Todd who sounded a lot like Chris Farley.
So Josh- Lots of random energy, hand movements, played the role much more socially (and somewhat mentally) awkward. He did not wear a wig a la Fogler, he had, in his words, a "Jew fro" going on. Rest of the outfit was the same. When he went up to spell words, he was much more animated in his showing off (that he knew the definitions, the "I know"), and after he spelled the word correctly and said I know, he started applauding for himself and being like, "yeah, come on!", random things like that. He definitely made the character his own, and while the songs and basic stuff were the same, the biggest differences were his mannerisms in his behavior and his diction in speaking the lines.
It will take some getting used to because Josh is quite different from what I am used to seeing Dan (and Todd) do, but I enjoyed his take and look forward to seeing what he does with the adult show on Sunday night.

[Feathah]

Posted: 2/2/06 at 10:24am

Glad to hear that he is making the role his own and not doing a Dan impersonation. I hope the lotto gods will finally smile upon me next time I go.

[liotte]

Posted: 2/2/06 at 12:22pm

I'll go with you Feathah, we can win the lotto together :)

[WholeLottaShakin]

Posted: 2/2/06 at 1:54pm

Thanks, Liotte, for the report! It sounds like Josh has a really interesting take on Barf. Do he and Celia have good chemistry? I always thought Dan and Celia were so cute in their pas de deux. It should be fun to see Josh do it. But what I'm most intrigued by is the "Jew fro." Can't wait to see that.

[liotte]

Posted: 2/2/06 at 1:59pm

Chemistry, um.
I think Dan played the role beginning as a jerk and know it all, and then ended with being a nice guy and everyone was rooting for him. Josh was more of the know it all jerk type all night, and while there were little glimpses into the nice guy (the switch the first two vowels in the name scene, and then the U in weltanschauung), I didn't feel the same tug in my heart for him. While their chemistry wasn't bad, it just wasn't the same, which is understandable considering Dan and Celia had been together for years doing these parts, whereas Josh had 2 days.

[WholeLottaShakin]

Posted: 2/2/06 at 2:06pm

Understandable. I'm sure the dynamic will continue to evolve as Josh settles in. Dunno if I'm going Sunday night, I'll let you know, Liotte.

[Creative Lunatic]

Posted: 2/2/06 at 2:13pm

I think Josh would be foolish to try to imitate Dan. Dan understood Barfee from the inside out. Dan's Barfee had built up as Dan said,"A porcupine protective exterior. He had been so rejected and misunderstood that he attacked before someone attacked him. Barfee took great joy in his abilities and hobbies that everyone else considered wierd. He was the ultimate outsider. Olive cracks through during that adorable scene where she tells him about switching vowels. You see Barfee transform and become vulnerable. Dan's portrayal broke my heart because I know kids like that and his Barfee was so authentic.
Dan and Celia have a history, trust , great love and respect that played out on stage--but I think Josh will find his way and Celia being the gifted actress and giving person that she is will do all she can to support him.

[liotte]

Posted: 2/2/06 at 2:18pm

I agree, Josh and Celia will do great together. Their final scene with dancing around the room, "great bee" hug, etc, was cute, and I'm sure it will be even better by the next time I see it.

I saw the show with a family I used to work for, so 2 adults, and 3 kids- 17, 14, and 11, and they all loved it. So kudos to this show for being a success, and the whole cast, new and old, for making it a wonderful theater going experience.