Just back from END OF THE RAINBOW

fabulous!

Walk-In: 75% full. Half oldsters/half the JUDY fanatics. Good buzz.

Intermission: Fantastic buzz.
End: Fanatical immediate 100% standing ovation w/encore.

If they didn't know who Tracie Bennett was going in, they LOVED her now!

Her performance is NOT imitation, but inimitable, not camp, but definitely over the top, but I think, in a great way. One has to remember that this i NOT a JUDY concert, impersonation, etc. It is a play - fictional/partly based on truth, following a very narrow coupla months of Judy's life. It is a tour de force performance like nothing Ive ever seen. Physically amazing, musically amazing, dramatically soo interesting to watch. Some may think it's waay overwrought - however everyone's entitled to their opinion. Her COMPLETE energy onstage is absolutely amazing, The character of Mickey Deens is completely underwritten (but who cares?), MIchael Cumpsty as the piano player was wonderful as usual. It's not a pretty pix of the last months of JUDY's life, but Traci portrays this singular person as multi faceted as anyone can be. I lost it during the scene before she sings "The Man that Got Away", and the singing of that song (end of Act!) Stunning.

This is a showcase for Tracie Bennett's unbelievable talent.

Updated On: 3/25/12 at 10:50 PM

Thanks, MATT/ (I just got home and have to do some chores first).
I never seriously "review" shows before 2 months running, but I will impart some thoughts on the audience, the vibe, glitches, and m overall impression.

It's a great performance- yes Judy Davis good and maybe even better since Miss Bennett actually does her own singing- to devistating effect- thank you very much. The play too often falls into the trap so many biography plays do,with lines and characters often existing a little too squarely for anecdotal recitative, and a clunky conclusion that screams of creative laziness-- but Bennett gives a living and breathing portrait of Garland that is equal turns electric, pathetic and moving. It's an almost exhaustive virtuoso performance that left much of the audience pretty enraptured. I imagine a Tony win would be well within reach- even with the Play itself not being more stellar.

EDIT-- While of course I wasn't surprised to see a sea of gay men at tonights preview- I found myself fascinated by how many were quite young- one boy sobbing through the final scene of the play to my right couldn't have been more than 20. Fascinating to see the Garland mystique carrying on when I thought to a large degree her synonymous association with the gay culture was largely resigned to an older generation.

Updated On: 3/19/12 at 11:28 PM

I was gonna say/ the bit with the mic cord looked scripted to me. I didnt really notice any tech glitches tonight- it seemed to run fairly smoothly.

the mic bit...well done, then!

Also, my fave "bit" in the show -- the "DOG" thing! OMFG hilarious!

THE END OF THE RAINBOW never explains why Garland was so extraordinary

Well to be fair, that's not the point of the play. It's not about what made Garland so special. It's a play about the last few months of her life.

Tommy Femia does Garland with more finesse and more importantly, with more affection.

This is blatantly untrue.

I usually do not chime in during previews (or much at all if I dislike something) --- however ---
I found it to be an offensive mess. This is like watching a sensationalistic bad E Hollywood true story about Lindsay Lohan or something. I'm sorry, but we've all seen and heard enough stories and treatments of Judy Garland. If you're gonna put up a new one, it should have something new and insightful to say, or at least rehash an old insight in a fresh and honest way. This show is pure garbage. The performance sections seem to be randomly selected, and uncomfortable. And as much as everyone says "a star is born" with Tracie Bennett - Judy deserves more respect than this hacked up portrayal (if one could call it that). Fine, show us the ugliest part of someone's life - but have a reason for doing it, and at least have the courage to perform it with some nuance and grace. With no insight into the downfall, it just feels like we're watching a plane crash with morbid curiosity.
I felt dirty when I left. And not in a good way.

I was at tonight's first preview as well and while Tracie Bennett is amazing, the show is awful! The set is awful and makes no sense, the costumes are awful and wrong and the man that plays Mickey Deans is horrible! He ruins every scene he's in! This show is insulting to true Judy Garland fans. Lots of walkouts at intermission, I was sitting near the producers/creatives and they absolutely took notice of the empty seats at the top of act 2.

Yes the mic cord is scripted. I saw it several times. The UK audiences came out loving Judy even more, if that's possible, and grieved even more for her demise at such a young age.
In the last months of Judy's life some audience booed her off as she was so bad on stage. It wasn't all sweetness and success at that point

Sounds like exactly what I expected: a showcase for Tracie Bennett at the expense of the life and talent of Garland herself, devoid of insight, no intention of respect, only condescension and melodrama masquerading as compassion.

Also, my fave "bit" in the show -- the "DOG" thing! OMFG hilarious!

I doubt it will be mine.

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the play itself is cliched garbage that revels in Garlands descent into a pill-induced mania. It's might well have been written by the National Enquirer.

Best review in this thread and echoes what I've been feeling about show all along. PASS.

Michael Bennett, this 20 year old sobbed reading your comment about the 20 year old sobbing. I do think your right about Judy's prominence in gay culture not necessarily connecting with the majority of my generation. I worry that many of my peers have no respect for the icons of the past, or the past itself. It's sad to see a lack of appreciation for our rich history as a community. However, there are many of us out there who still feel such strong admiration for Judy. I likely won't be able to get to New York until the fall, but I really want to see this, so I certainly hope it runs!

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I too saw it last night and have to agree with Michael Bennett. The biggest problem I had was with Tracie's voice quite often sounding like Katherine Hepburn. But, AMAZING energy and quite a talent. Off to work now but I'll write more later