Saw the show tonight, and while it is not without flaws, it was pretty fantastic.
Anyone who said that Stark Sands is "bland" saw a totally different show. (Of course, a) that post was from 2 weeks ago and b) I've been a fan of Stark Sands since "Generation Kill," which was a straight acting role in which he was excellent, and I hadn't even realized he was a musical theatre actor til after that.)
He plays the straight man (literally). Perhaps compared to Billy Porter--who, when the Kinky Boots kinks get worked out and this show hits NY, will be nominated for stuff--Sands might seem "bland," but that's harsh. I agree with the poster who said that not everybody has to be a scene-stealer. And he was not lacking in the "physicality" or emotional connection with his character. Sure, it's not written with the depth of, say, a straight dramatic play, but it's not meant to. His jokes landed when they were supposed to, and he sings his heart out on "Soul of a Man." I sat in Dress Circle media seats--not too close, not too far away from the stage--and I could see the emotion in his body and his face.
Whoever said Porter, himself, was the weakest link, also saw a totally different show. He owned that show from his first entrance, had command of his zinger lines, knew where to look, raise an eye, gesture or flourish at the right times, to the desired effect...and can DANCE. The only thing I didn't like was his 11:00 number, "Hold Me in Your Heart." That is--he sang up a storm, but I was like "why is he dressed like Whitney Houston at a White House gala, in a nursing home..." Granted, the payoff was when he admitted he was there to see his ill father, whom, the character said earlier, never accepted his transvestitism. So, the inclusion of that song was a little convoluted. He had already had his establishing songs, and we already knew where his character was coming from. Maybe just...shorten it a little?
The treadmill number in the factory ("Everybody Say Yeah") was rousing for the plot in terms of getting the staff motivated, to say nothing of all the clapping and dancing in the crowd during the song. An earlier poster said they wished there was "more complicated choreography" or something, but...they were walking, dancing, moving, carrying things, and summersaulting off the treadmills. They all made it look easy, and throughout the entire number, I was thinking, "man, they must have trained for this number the hardest and longest of all." Admittedly, I wondered at one point if there would be some more stunts, too, but...hey, they were dancing on *treadmills*. So that criticism is far-fetched. It's not "Mary Poppins" (whose chimney number made me cry, with the tap-dancing on the ceiling, but maybe that's just because I used to tap dance), and doesn't need to try to be, either. I thought it was also impressive that with all the choreography of the actors, they had to choreograph the *treadmills*. There were several people up at a time, the entire cast had a turn, and the cast themselves were turning and rolling and moving the equipment WHILE singing, dancing, and strategically placed to spot those up on the treadmills. Pretty impressive.
The costumes were fab, the set was HUGE and complex, and...yeah, I didn't like the fiancee character, can't remember a bit of her song, and didn't even really like the plot point of her "boss" trying to bail Charlie out of losing the factory. Annaleigh Ashford was under-used, but she knocked her song out of the park. And though one poster mentioned that the show never put closure on their relationship, Charlie does lay a big fat kiss on her in the closing number, establishing that they do wind up together.
The finale was a big, flashy event that reminded me of "Priscilla," just good fun (even if people don't like that the factory staff showed up in the Kinky Boots. Made sense that they forgave him for being a jerk and supported him, though). That said, there was a point, mid-way through the number, where the tempo changed, or someone had some lines or something, and the momentum dropped and it felt awkward. Can't put my finger on it.
For its flaws, it can only get better before it gets to NY, and even so, it was pretty durn good. Enjoy.
Weird unrelated bonus: Tracie Thoms was in the audience; saw her in the lobby during intermission, and wound up next to her on the way out. Chatted with her for a few seconds and she was pretty nice. I wondered why she was there...if she knows Cyndi or Harvey or others related to the show? Telsey cast "RENT" and also cast this show, so I suppose it's possible. She looked great. Very tall in person. She was with a couple of guys but wasn't sure if they were friends or production colleagues.
"There is no use trying," said Alice; "one can't believe impossible things." "I dare say you haven't had the practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." --Alice in Wonderland
Updated On: 10/18/12 at 01:32 AM
