MAME ~ The Kennedy Center

And what a wonderful show it is.

I have been thinking since I saw it last week -- and what struck me as interesting is that MAME is about being a liberal -- not a popular position among some these days. Accepting all types of people, not being afraid of the unknown, grabbing at the untried. The Upsons and Babcock clearly represent the conservatives (the script refers to it many times) and Mame's humiliation of them, and reclamation of Patrick from their clutches, is the penultimate moment of the musical.

How radical!! And how wonderful.

A fairy tale?

It's based on a true story.

And I agree with philcrosby. The '20s were a time of liberation after WWI. Not until the '60s did we have another widespread period of free-thinkers and self-expression... the period when MAME the musical was written.

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Based on a true story, yes. But it has that fairy-tale quality about it.

I'm just saying, I think when you try to draw those political lines in a musical, you limit its appeal, and for no good reason. There are conservatives who are in many ways like Mame (I've known several who'd have bought the land and built the home for single mothers on it just as she did), and believe it or not, there are liberals who are like the Uptons. Political divisions aren't everything.

Well said, 12Bars, well said.

I have an aunt who would indeed have sent her kids to a school where they ran around naked! She did sit-ins in the 60s, and had very little patience for what she thought of as "narrow thinkers." She certainly had some Mame in her!

It is nice to see the Kennedy Center continuing to develop quality shows. I loved the Sondheim celebration a few years ago. I also look forward to seeing Assassins here at the Signature.

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Mame WAS NOT based on a true story. The author had a series of short stories about a madcap woman, and on the advice of his editor, turned them into a novel, using the framing device that the woman was his aunt and the "Most memorable character" he'd even known, to use the Reader's Digest phrase.

"Patrick Dennis" was a nom de plume and Mame was named "Mame Dennis" to add creedence to the tale. The author occasionally said that Mame was based on his actual aunt, but she wasn't. He was notorious for furnishing mis-information like that to amuse himself.

He did see Mame very much as a progressive liberal and did create the Upsons and Babcocks as conservative Republicans. The Upsons repeatedly rail against FDR and Babcock calls anyone he disapgrees with a "Bolshevik." On top of that, they are racist and anti-semitic. (I'm not calling all Republicans that, just describing the charcters.)

The final confrontation with the Upsons ends with Mame building a home for unwed mothers in their "Restricted" neighborhood, but in the book, she builds a home for Jewish war refugees.

Ya beat me to it, Joe!!! :)

TT

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Just to clarify, I didn't mean "fairy tale" literally.

But - back to our reguarly scheduled programming ... i take it that those who saw it thought was a good production? I know that Baranski got dinged a bit in early reviews as not really owning the role, but then again she apparently didn't have much time to ease into it.

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It is a marvelous production. Every bit of money spent on it is seen on stage, with glorious sets and costumes, a huge ensemble and 24 pieces in the orchestra playing the original orchestrations.

Baranski can sing, dance, act comedy brilliantly. Her MAME is very unlike (what I have heard about) Lansbury's. Baranski is cool as a cucumber, but her passion for Patrick is real and extremely touching. Harriet Harris' Vera is also very different than Bea Arthur's -- much less icy deadpan, and more of a gregarious lush. They also have an obvious affection for each other and are a delight onstage, especially during "Bosom Buddies."

I think Baranski got unfairly dinged in the reviews ... she only had three public performances (with the scenery not always working up to and including opening night) before critics arrived. By the time I saw it, she owned the stage every minute she was on it.

I laughed a lot, I cried a lot, and I am glad I got to see a production that is a "big 60s musical" in the best sense of the word. It was a total delight!

I have been thinking that all week. I could just see her coming down the stairs in her entrance. Also she just has that flair about her, that would rule the stage. Anyway I need to get back to work.

I waited too long as well, and just barely managed to get mine. And then I was in the very last row of the balcony! It's too bad you didn't make it, orangeskittles.